The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Holds Meeting with Metropolitan Government Auditors... "Establishing Public Service Ethics"

Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee Presides Over Metropolitan Local Government Auditors Meeting
Sharing Policies to Eradicate Local Public Officials' Misconduct and Corruption Prevention

Jeon Hyun-hee, Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, emphasizing the need to improve the integrity of local public officials. (Photo by Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) has initiated measures to prevent misconduct and deviant behavior among local public officials. It shared the government's anti-corruption policies.

On the 11th, Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee presided over a meeting of audit officers from metropolitan local governments at the Government Sejong Complex to discuss ways to enhance integrity in the public service. The meeting was held to commemorate the second anniversary of the launch of the 7th local government administration.

At the meeting, Chairperson Jeon urged the establishment of public service discipline and discussed the government's anti-corruption policies. This comes amid a rise in misconduct and deviant acts such as abuse of power and bribery involving local public officials, including local council members.

Earlier, on June 29, after taking office, Chairperson Jeon emphasized the redefinition of the ACRC’s role as the control tower for anti-corruption efforts.

According to the ACRC, the agenda items discussed at the meeting included ▲ improving the integrity measurement and corruption impact assessment system to encourage proactive administration ▲ measures to revise conflict of interest prevention systems ▲ eradication of recruitment misconduct in public institutions ▲ inspection of fraudulent claims to prevent leakage of public funds.

The ACRC plans to improve evaluation factors to encourage proactive administration. Starting this year, a proactive administration evaluation element will be newly added to the survey items in the public institution integrity survey.

The corruption impact assessment criteria scheduled for next month will include the possibility of inducing passive administration. Recommendations will be made to encourage proactive administration from the stages of legislation and revision in each ministry.

Through strengthening the operation of codes of conduct by local governments, the ACRC will actively implement conflict of interest prevention among public officials.

The ACRC plans to conduct a survey next month on the implementation of codes of conduct in local councils to check whether recommendations for system improvements related to local council members’ concurrent position reporting and prohibition of private contracts have been followed.

It will also promote the enactment of the long-awaited Conflict of Interest Prevention Act for public officials.

The ACRC intends to actively provide relief to victims by checking whether sanctions have been enforced on those involved in recruitment misconduct and fraudulent admissions identified in last year’s comprehensive investigation of public institution recruitment irregularities.

Measures are being prepared to enhance the public nature of entrusted recruitment in public institutions.

Additionally, next month, the ACRC will inspect the implementation of the Public Finance Recovery Act, which stipulates that if public financial payments are fraudulently claimed, all illicit gains must be recovered and penalties of up to five times the amount may be imposed.

Chairperson Jeon told the 17 audit officers from metropolitan local governments, "Local governments are the closest point of contact that directly communicates and interacts closely with ordinary citizens and businesspeople, and the integrity level of local public officials forms the foundation of national integrity," adding, "I ask you to take a fresh look at your responsibilities from the public perspective that 'passive administration is also corruption.'"

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