Kuwait to introduce Korea's anti-corruption measures

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, center, claps as Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Vice Chairman Lee Geon-lee, left, and his counterpart Riyadh Humood Alhajeri, vice chairperson of the Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority, shake hands after signing a memorandum of understanding on sharing anti-corruption policies at Bayan Palace, Kuwait, Wednesday. Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

Kuwait will introduce South Korea's anti-corruption assessment measures following Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon's visit to the country, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) says. .

The South's anti-corruption body signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on sharing anti-corruption initiatives with the Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), the country's anti-corruption organization, to improve both countries' anti-corruption measures and thus create a better business environment for South Korean companies there.

“Successful anti-corruption cooperation between Korea and Kuwait will not only contribute to strengthening the anti-corruption capacities of both nations but also to creating a better business environment for Korean companies in Kuwait at a time when an increasing number of Korean companies do their business in the nation as the two nations' economic cooperation is being expanded,” ACRC Vice Chairman Lee Geon-lee said in a statement.

The agreement was made during Prime Minister Lee's visit to Kuwait as part of the government's moves to expand diplomacy in the Middle East and Central and South America.

The MOU was signed by the ACRC's Lee and his Kuwaiti counterpart Nazaha's Vice Chairperson Riyadh Humood Alhajeri with the attendance of Prime Minister Lee.

According to the ACRC, the two agencies will share policies, experiences and information on anti-corruption; develop capacity-building training and education programs for staff of each agency; assist joint meetings including seminars and workshops; and cooperate in other areas where needed.

The ACRC added that the deal was made amid Kuwait's continuing efforts to establish a national anti-corruption plan. The country has been looking for ways to achieve sustainable development to take better advantage of its natural resources, including its oil reserves, which are the sixth largest in the world.

The two countries began discussing a MOU following the Nazaha delegation's visit to South Korea in March. The Kuwaiti envoy visited Seoul to learn the ACRC's major anti-corruption policies and talked with Seoul officials about the need for comprehensive cooperation in fighting corruption.

Kuwait is the fourth country to adopt Seoul's guidelines following Tunisia, Iraq and Qatar.