The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Pays 2.36 Billion KRW in Rewards to Whistleblowers in the First Half of the Year

"Thanks to Reports, Public Institutions Recover 23.92 Billion Won in Revenue"
This Month, 220 Million Won Paid to 18 Members at the Full Committee Meeting

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced on the 27th that it paid compensation totaling 2.36476 billion KRW to 131 whistleblowers of corruption and public interest violations in the first half of the year. Thanks to their reports, public institutions recovered revenues amounting to 23.92833 billion KRW.

The Commission reported that typical corruption and public interest reports, such as fraudulent receipt of government subsidies and pharmaceutical company rebates, were received in the first half of the year.

In addition, compensation totaling 24.91 million KRW was paid for 15 cases of whistleblowing related to violations of the Code of Conduct for Public Officials, such as improper receipt of travel expenses. This is an achievement that was not attained in the first half of last year, when no compensation was paid for such violations.

On the 20th, the plenary committee convened and paid compensation totaling 222.45 million KRW to 18 whistleblowers. Thanks to their reports, public institutions recovered revenues of approximately 1.36 billion KRW. Reports related to fraudulent receipt of research and development (R&D) funds and pharmaceutical company rebates were received.

One major case of corruption reporting involved a whistleblower who reported a company that fraudulently received government-supported R&D funds by falsely claiming to have developed a new product when it was already developed; this whistleblower received compensation of 87.89 million KRW.

Another whistleblower who reported an organization that inflated the number of trainees by falsely registering acquaintances who did not work and manipulating attendance records to embezzle subsidies for women and children’s programs, including instructor fees, received compensation of 14.25 million KRW.

A whistleblower who reported that a public institution failed to recover litigation costs from the losing party despite winning a lawsuit, causing financial damage to the institution, received compensation of 12.48 million KRW.

Regarding major cases of public interest whistleblowing compensation, a whistleblower who reported a pharmaceutical company providing rebates to hospitals and clinics received 70.11 million KRW, and another who reported a company violating the Industrial Safety and Health Act received 21.54 million KRW.

Han Samseok, Director of the Commission’s Review and Protection Bureau, stated, "Corrupt acts such as fraudulent receipt of various subsidies and provision of rebates that infringe on public interest have not yet been eradicated. We will actively provide compensation to whistleblowers of corruption and public interest violations in the second half of the year to enhance transparency across society, including the public sector, and encourage active reporting."

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