ACRC runs an intensive reporting period on corruption by high-ranking officials alongside the launch of CIO

- To crack down on corruption by high-ranking officials through prosecution, case transfer, information sharing, and other proactive collaboration efforts with CIO -

January 22, 2020

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission

The Republic of Korea

Following the launch of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), the ACRC will operate an intensive reporting period on acts of corruption committed by high-ranking public officials* from January 22 to April 21 in order to crack down on corruption as power abuse by senior officials.

* National Assembly members, public officials at vice-minister level or above, heads of regional governments, police officers at inspector level or above, judges, prosecutors, commissioned officers at general level, etc.

Reports can be made against high-ranking officials for their acts of corruption, such as abuse of authority, bribery, embezzlement, breach of duty, making a false official , etc.

The subject of the corruption whistleblowing not only includes high-ranking officials themselves, but also their family, such as the spouse, parents and children. Acts of corruption committed by retired or discharged officials during their tenure can also be reported.

When the ACRC considers a report includes an act of corruption that requires CIO's investigation and prosecution, it requests an investigation to the CIO after taking account of the details of the charge and evidence, such as by bringing a charge directly with the CIO according to relevant laws and regulations.

< Examples of acts subject to reporting during the intensive reporting period on corruption acts by high-ranking officials >

  ▶High-ranking public officials' acts of seeking one's own or a third party's interest by abusing one's position or authority, or by violating laws and regulations with regard to one's duty

  ▶ Acts of receiving money, gifts, entertainment, etc. related to one's duty

  ▶ Acts of making a false official or forging one

  ▶ Other acts of corruption stipulated in the Act on the Prevention of Corruption and the Establishment and Management of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (subparagraph 4 of Article 2 of the Act)

Anyone can report on corruption to the ACRC according to law, and the reporter's identity is kept strictly confidential. The whistleblower can enjoy protective measures the ACRC provides, including restoration and personal protection, regarding disadvantageous actions, threats to life, bodily harm, etc. that the reporting may entail. Particularly, when the reporter doesn't want to reveal one's identity while reporting to the ACRC, the ACRC can keep the whistleblower's personal information strictly confidential by having the investigative authority, etc. not to disclose one's identity.

You can report to the ACRC Complaints Counseling Center (Sejong) or Government Complaints Counseling Center (Seoul) by mail or through in-person visits, or in the "corruption and public interests report" page on Clean Portal (www.clean.go.kr). You can also call ☎1398 or ☎110 for counseling without an area code from anywhere around the nation.

Han Sam-suk, Chief of the Inspection & Protection Bureau said that "as the newly launched CIO will start receiving the reporting about corruption as power abuse committed by high-ranking public officials, the ACRC will be committed to cracking down on corruption and increasing integrity in the public sector by handling the cases in a fair and timely manner, and by encouraging reporting through the provision of proactive protection measures to courageous whistleblowers."