Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
ACRC highlights its roles in protecting people's rights, handling complaints
Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) Vice Chairperson Kim Tae-gyu explains the roles of the commission during a press conference with foreign journalists at the Korean Culture and Information Service Center in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission
By Jung Da-hyun
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) is focused on dealing with complaints and improving institutions that infringe on the rights and interests of the people, its deputy chief said, Wednesday.
The commission held a foreign press conference, aimed at explaining its functions related to rights relief through the handling of people's complaints at the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) Center in Seoul.
The ACRC has four primary functions: anti-corruption, complaint handling, administrative appeals and institutional improvement.
During the conference, ACRC Vice Chairperson Kim Tae-gyu placed a particular emphasis on the function of complaint handling and the operation of e-People, a platform designed to enhance communication with the public for submitting complaints and suggestions and engaging in discussions.
Over the past five years, the ACRC has received 30,000 complaints, of which 23,887 have been addressed. This significant number of grievance complaints reflects the high level of social conflict in recent times.
According to statistics from the Federation of Korean Industries, Korea’s conflict index ranks third among 30 OECD countries, incurring more than 82 trillion won ($62.57 billion) in annual costs.
The commission addresses complaints and conflicts through three primary approaches.
If there are substantial reasons to believe that an action is illegal, the commission recommends corrective actions to the party responsible. In cases where a situation is not clearly unlawful or unfair, but a citizen's claims have merit, the commission can guide the relevant administrative agency to take appropriate actions.
Additionally, the commission offers an alternative approach by facilitating agreements between parties through mediation or conciliation.
Kim also highlighted a case involving grievance complaints from foreign individuals. The Greek Veterans Association had raised concerns about the location of a memorial for Greek soldiers in Korea at the Yeoju expressway rest area in Gyeonggi Province, following the installation of hydrogen gas refueling stations and a smoking area nearby.
Following consultations with related organizations including the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the ACRC had the memorial relocated to the city's Yeongwol Park.
The commission actively engages with citizens through e-People, a cross-governmental public participation portal through which individuals can conveniently submit grievances and proposals and receive real-time updates on their processing results. The platform has been operational since 2005, with an increasing number of cases being submitted each year.
Furthermore, the e-People platform is accessible in 14 languages, including Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese. This accessibility allows people to request assistance without the need to visit an administrative agency in person or know the exact agency responsible for handling their complaint.
This initiative also benefits foreign workers in Korea, as it enables them to address rights-related concerns. There are instances where foreign nationals on work visas have successfully inquired about their eligibility for the national pension through e-People after discovering that they lack coverage under the four major insurance categories.
"To create a better future for our people, the ACRC, as the last resort for the people, is dedicated to fulfilling the role of a compassionate government by actively listening to even the smallest voices of the people,” Kim said.