Anti-corruption faces setback

Kim Young-ran, former Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission chief, smiles while receiving questions from reporters at Incheon International Airport before leaving for France, Wednesday. She first proposed a controversial anti-corruption bill, dubbed the “Kim Young-ran Law” in June 2011, which passed the National Assembly plenary session Tuesday. / Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

The sweeping anti-corruption law passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday could be hindered by loopholes and other side effects, according to the main political parties.

Both the Saenuri Party the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) admitted on Wednesday that the law fails to include politicians and civic activists as targets.

The envisioned bill was originally aimed at rooting out bureaucratic corruption when Kim Young-ran, former Supreme Court justice and ex-chairwoman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC), proposed it in August 2012.

After wrangling for months, the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition NPAD included journalists and private school teachers as targets along with public officials.

The two sides said on Wednesday the law may be unconstitutional because the prosecution may exploit it to monitor and control people on behalf of the government.

The targeted groups will face criminal charges if they receive money, valuables, treatment or services worth at least 1 million won ($911).

Punitive measures will be taken regardless of whether the money or goods were given in return for favors or not.

The rival parties said the law, if necessary, should be revised before it takes effect on September 2016 following an 18-month grace period.

“We should fulfill the original purpose of the bill,” Saenuri Party’s floor leader Yoo Seong-min said during its Supreme Council meeting. “But we’ll take all suggestions into consideration for the next 18 months to close possible loopholes and prevent side effects that the law may have.”

Rep. Lee Sang-min, a NPAD member and also the head of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, agreed.

“We’ll make sure to solve any problems that law may cause,” he said, adding the range of the targeted groups should be limited to public officials.

“We should clarify ambiguous clauses so that no innocent citizens will suffer.

“We’re fully aware of public criticism over the possible loophole and we’ll close it to prevent politicians from taking advantage of it.”

Kang Gi-jung, an NPAD lawmaker who heads the National Policy Committee, expressed concerns that the prosecution could exploit the law.

“I’m most worried that the prosecution may wield its power excessively,” he said.

Criticism over the law has grown, although 226 of 247 lawmakers present voted for the bill at the parliamentary plenary session, Tuesday. Four voted against the bill, while the remaining 17 abstained.

Observers have speculated that the National Assembly’s approval of the bill is politically motivated.

The rival parties seek to win public support ahead of the parliamentary elections in April 2016 with growing calls to ferret out corrupt ties between officialdom and business.