By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
A whistle blower who reported a corruption case at a state-run company received a reward of 345 million won (approximately $296,000) ― the largest so far ― from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC), according to the commission, Wednesday.
Two other people who contributed to the reporting, helping the commission claw back 4.2 billion won, received 48.2 million won, an ACRC spokesman said.
``A state-run company faked survey results on consumer satisfaction and was chosen as a model organization for a great performance,'' the spokesman said. ``Its chief and other employees of the company received incentives for the bogus achievement.''
After a police investigation, 29 workers of the firm were fined three million won each.
``Thanks to the report from one brave man, we redeemed $3.9 billion won in bonuses which were unreasonably paid,'' the spokesman said.
Another person reported to the ACRC that a provincial land management agency overstated the cost of road construction after conspiring with a construction company.
Also a professor of a state-funded university was found to have earned research subsidies and traveling expenses after manipulating documents submitted to government agencies.
The informant in the case received 1.8 million won as a reward.
The commission, launched in February last year with the inauguration of President Lee Myung-bak, has been fighting corruption in officialdom and state-run organizations.
As part of transparency efforts, it has encouraged people to report corruption cases and rewarded them under the ``whistle blower system.''
Since its inauguration, the commission has helped reclaim about 8 billion won.
A total of 970 million won has been given out in rewards, the official said.
``In order to compete with Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICs), our officials have to abide by the anti-corruption spirit and ordinary people should practice transparency-making efforts,'' ACRC Chairman Lee Jae-oh said. ``This can raise the nation's competitiveness in the international market.''