Anti-corruption related agencies will push forward 50 national anti-corruption tasks to tackle corruption in public and private sectors.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) announced the Five-Year Comprehensive Anti-Corruption Plan at the 2nd Anti-Corruption Policy Consultative Council meeting, chaired by President Moon Jae-in.

The Anti-Corruption Policy Consultative Council, established under the President, consists of representatives of major anti-corruption related agencies for the purpose of discussing and carrying out comprehensive and systematic anti-corruption government measures.

Today's meeting was the second of its kind following the launch of Anti-Corruption Policy Consultative Council in last September. The meeting was attended by members of Public-Private Council for Transparent Society as well as representatives of anti-corruption related agencies.

Public-Private Council for Transparent Society consists of 30 members representing each area of the society including businesses, professional associations, the media, academia and civil society.

2017 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), published by Transparency International in last February, ranked Korea 51 out of 180 countries with score of 54 out of perfect score of 100. It is higher than those of developing countries but lower than average score of 68.4 among OECD countries.

Under the circumstances, the ACRC decided to push forward comprehensive public and private anti-corruption policies, in continuous cooperation with every level of society.

Five-Year Comprehensive Anti-Corruption Plan reported today is the mid and long-term national roadmap which reflects public opinions gathered on- and offline channels, based on anti-corruption tasks established by each agency.

ACRC listened to opinions from the general public on anti-corruption measures via the People's Idea Box on e-People and met public monitoring team of people in the 20s or 30s as well as representatives of all levels of the society to reflect their opinions into the plan.

The plan includes 50 tasks in 4 strategic areas, covering anti-corruption measures in both public and private sectors. The 4 strategic areas are Collective Anti-Corruption Efforts, Clean Public Sector, Transparent Business Environment, and Putting Integrity into Action.

Strategy 1. Collective Anti-corruption Efforts

Under the comprehensive anti-corruption plan, the government will establish and pursue government-wide anti-corruption policies through the Anti-Corruption Policy Consultative Council Meeting rather than individual institutions.

In addition, in order to implement and pursue anti-corruption policies that the public can relate to, through continuous cooperation with the Public-Private Consultative Council Meeting for Transparent Society and expansion of public suggestions and assessment on anti-corruption policies, public participation will be promoted in the entire anti-corruption policy procedure such as establishment, implementation and assessment.

Strategy 2. Clean Public Sector

With an aim to stop budget waste due to illicit claim for public money, the Act on the Prevention of False Claims of Public Funds will be enacted and other related laws and regulations will be improved while stronger monitoring and inspection on risk of the leakage of public fund such as illicit receipt of government subsidies and illegitimate budget execution will be implemented.

In addition, grounds for rejecting superior's illegal order will be provided. As for abuse of power by public officials, the entire government agencies will take strong countermeasures, and relevant laws and regulations will be improved along with stronger support to victims.

To end hiring irregularities in public institutions, which have been frequently cited as a corruption-prone area, those engaged in irregularities will be excluded from the work concerned; ground for removing them from their post will be provided; and employment-related data will be more strictly managed. In addition, to fundamentally remove corruption in the defense industry and locally rooted collusive ties, institutional improvement will be made, and stronger sanctions will be imposed when corruption takes place.

In particular, in order to prevent business-politics collusion frequently cited as a main cause of various disasters and accidents, preferential treatment such as awarding an unfair contract with a retired public official's organization will be prohibited. In addition, government's management and supervision on industries with high entry barrier such as shipping and port will be stronger.

Strategy 3. Transparent Business Environment

Outside board directors, compliance officers and compliance assistants will be provided with practical supervision and control functions through corporate compliance management, and more important information on business management risk will be made public.

To enhance business accounting transparency, outside auditor will be guaranteed stronger independence, and accounting compliance data will be taken into account in the selection of companies subject to regular tax audit. As such, stronger efforts to enhance private sector integrity level will be made.

Strategy 4 Putting Integrity into Action

Stronger crackdown and punishment will be imposed on five major corruption crimes (bribery, influence peddling, acceptance of properties through good offices, embezzlement, and dereliction of duty) and stronger measures will be made to recover proceeds of such crimes. Meanwhile, zero-tolerance will be applied to public officials committing corruption.

Stronger practical protection will be provided to public interest whistleblowers following the adoption of the system of representative reporting by lawyers and emergency relief system. At the same time, Public Interest Whistleblower Day will be designated and Public Interest Whistleblower Hall of Fame will be set up to honor those blowing the whistle on public interest infringement despite the possible disadvantages due to the reporting

Integrity education for public officials will be more substantive through the expansion of integrity education to high-ranking officials. In addition, integrity education for the youth will be expanded to kindergarten children. Meanwhile, international cooperation in the anti-corruption area will be strengthened through hosting anti-corruption international conference.

ACRC Chairperson Pak Un Jong said, “the ACRC will monitor the implementation status of 50 anti-corruption tasks on a regular basis and report the result to the public. The ACRC will spare no effort to ensure that a culture of integrity can take root in the entire Korean society in 2022 by faithfully implementing Comprehensive Anti-corruption Plan for 2018-2020.

Major tasks for 4 strategic areas in the Five Year Comprehensive Anti-Corruption Plan