Strengthening Employment Restrictions for Retired Public Officials Dismissed for Corruption or Sentenced to Over 3 Million Won

Kwonikwi Launches 'Advisory Committee on Employment Restrictions for Dismissed Employees for Misconduct'
Appoints 20 Experts from Legal and Academic Fields for Advisory on Employment Restrictions for Dismissed Employees for Misconduct

Chairman Eunjeong Park of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chae-seok] The employment restriction system for retired public officials who were dismissed due to corruption while working at public institutions or sentenced to a fine of 3 million won or more (such as those dismissed for misconduct) will be operated more objectively and professionally.

On the 18th, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) announced that it has appointed 20 legal and academic experts, including 9 lawyers and 11 professors of law and public administration, and launched a committee that will provide advisory services on the employment restriction system for dismissed officials over the next two years.

The ACRC conducts biannual inspections of the employment status of dismissed officials based on the "Act on the Prevention of Corruption and the Establishment and Operation of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (Anti-Corruption ACRC Act)."

According to the inspection results, since the law was amended in 2016, the size restriction on for-profit private companies subject to employment restrictions has been removed. As the number of applicable subjects has increased, the number of violators is also on the rise.

According to Article 82 of the law, public officials who were automatically retired, dismissed, or removed due to corruption related to their duties while in office are prohibited from working for public institutions, organizations related to corruption, or for-profit private companies closely related to the department or institution they belonged to within five years before retirement, for a period of five years.

Violations are punishable by imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to 20 million won.

The advisory committee provides legal advice to enhance the reliability of employment restrictions and establish judgment criteria for major cases regarding whether employment restrictions have been violated, including subjects of employment restrictions and job relevance.

In particular, during the preparation stage for legal amendments to introduce a pre-employment screening system for dismissed officials, the advisory committee composed of experts is expected to enhance the objectivity and fairness of the system's operation until the law is amended.

While continuously inspecting the employment status of dismissed officials, the ACRC plans to further strengthen education on the key legal contents for public officials to align with the purpose of the system to prevent corruption in advance.

Han Sam-seok, Director of the Review and Protection Bureau at the ACRC, said, "The employment restriction system for dismissed officials plays a role in raising awareness of corruption, preventing corrupt acts by public officials, and enhancing integrity."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.