Rights Panel Offers One-Stop Civil Services
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) is offering one-stop services for people suffering from civil rights infringement or difficulties due to legal problems.
Yang Kun, chairman of the commission, said his agency will help iron those matters out with on- and off-line services.
``The top concern of our organization is making an integrated system to protect civil rights. As such, we have been offering one-stop services since April 4 for administrative appeals and reporting corruption,'' he said in an interview last week.
``As for the call center, about 100 consultants directly answer calls and report registered cases to the commission,'' Yang said.
More than 5,000 complaints or civil petitions are registered every day through the call center and about 800 additional cases are posted on the on-line site of the civil rights agency.
However, the commission's role does not end up with listening.
Yang, who worked as a law professor at Hanyang University in Seoul for more than 20 years, said ``If we find problems through our investigations, we advise government agencies, companies or private institutes to correct problems and revise their systems.''
The acceptance rate stands at 92 percent but the commission, Yang said, still has more to do.
``We aim at reaching 100 percent. Consequently, we are considering imposing penalties on offenders and giving benefits to those who accept advice.''
The agency also reviews feedback and measures satisfaction rates.
``According to an in-house survey last year, our satisfaction rate was 81%. As we're not satisfied, we will step up our efforts,'' he said.
With the Lee Myung-bak government prioritizing reviving the economy, the agency plans to focus on revising systems and easing regulations which have hindered people from conducting business.
The commission will collect cases of small-sized businesses in particular having difficulty operating due to systematic restriction, and opinions for improvement until June.
After analysis, the agency will help produce better limit ceilings.
``The three tasks appear differently at a glance but their fundamental purpose is to help shrug off unreasonable burdens. We are striving to coordinate the three functions and conduct them well,'' Yang said.
Another goal is to eradicate corruption.
Inheriting the role of the now-defunct Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption, the commission continues campaigning to eliminate corruption and is making efforts to host a global event to mark International Anti-Corruption Day, which falls on Dec. 9.
``People may think that our will to eradicate corruption weakened due to the merge of the three organizations but it will create synergy with the existing functions remaining. Thus, the anti-corruption function became stronger than before,'' Yang said.
Services for Foreigners
The commission's door is also widely open for foreigners in South Korea.
ACRC officials frequently meet foreigners to find out what difficulties they are suffering from and help solve their problems.
``An increasing number of foreigners come to Korea and they need as many civil services as anyone else. Everyone can ask for help from our commission,'' the chairman said. ``We visit foreign workers and try to find solutions together.''
They have not yet provided a multilingual service but Yang told The Korea Times he will consider introducing this for those whose Korean language skills are lacking.
The former professor said ``I have just begun to lead the commission but my field of study is very helpful because many of the commission's functions are related to law. Besides, I think I can approach matters with the point of view of a citizen, not a public official.''