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| Lee Sung-bo, chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission |
By Chung Min-uck
The head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) said Wednesday that the agency will establish an exemplary system of anti-corruption checks and balances.
"We are committed to establishing an anti-corruption system that will exceed global standards," said Lee Sung-bo, chairman of the ACRC, in his opening remarks at the agency's seventh Policy Briefing for Foreign Businesses at the Korea Press Foundation in Seoul. "In line with the global trend, the Korean government is making multi-dimensional endeavors toward a transparent government and society."
Seoul, a member of the U.N. Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the world's largest anti-corruption body, was designated as showing "success and good practices" during the UNCAC's review process last year, according to the agency.
As examples of the ACRC's best practices, Lee cited restricting the employment of government officials dismissed for corruption, and bringing criminal charges against high-ranking officials involved in corruption.
He also said a set of bills aimed at helping Seoul fight corruption and creating a better business environment for foreign businesses are in the process of being legislated.
Particularly, the former judge said a bill on the "prevention of illegal solicitation and conflict of interest" that calls for the punishment of officials for corrupt acts regardless of their dedication to duty, among others, is in the final stages of being passed through the National Assembly.
"This year, we will establish a system that will require unqualified recipients of state compensation to pay back five times the amount gained illegally," Lee told the foreign businessmen operating in Korea.
He said that the ACRC will collect complaints from foreign businesses in Korea and reflect them in the policy-making process.
Earlier this year, President Park Geun-hye hosted a luncheon meeting with CEOs of foreign investment companies and expressed her strong determination to improve the business environment for foreign firms here.
Additionally, she gave extra attention to the ACRC's role of keeping a close eye on difficulties and grievances from foreign business people facing unreasonable regulations.
