Gyeonggi-do Partners with Anti-Corruption Commission to Establish Conflict of Interest Prevention System

Lee Jae-myung "It is the duty of public officials to create a sensible society free from corruption and privilege"

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province is collaborating with the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission to establish a conflict of interest prevention system aimed at fundamentally blocking real estate speculation by public officials. They are also promoting proactive and preemptive protection for whistleblowers reporting public interest and corruption issues.

On the 2nd, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee signed a "Memorandum of Understanding for the Realization of a Fair and Clean Society and the Promotion of Public Rights" at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office, containing these commitments.

Governor Lee said, "The duty of public officials is to maintain a fair order, and since they exercise authority entrusted by the people, they should not use it for private gain. Having actually experienced how the social system rapidly collapses when public officials abuse their authority for personal benefit and collude with the tyranny of the powerful, it is an important task for public officials to uphold their duties and maintain integrity and innocence."

He continued, "The public’s feelings toward real estate speculation by public officials, centered around LH, might be like entrusting a fish shop to a cat, only to see the cat run away with the fish. Our duty is to create a common-sense society where fair rules operate, and a normal society free from corruption and privilege. We will work with the Anti-Corruption Commission to build a fair society," he added.

Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission stated, "As the control tower for anti-corruption policies, the Commission is closely cooperating with metropolitan governments like Gyeonggi Province and various institutions to implement measures to strengthen fairness and integrity in the public sector. Especially if all public officials in Gyeonggi Province take the lead in anti-corruption and integrity policies and work together on countermeasures, I believe it will be an opportunity for South Korea’s integrity level to advance to the next stage."

According to the agreement, the two institutions will mutually cooperate in ▲establishing systems to prevent conflicts of interest such as real estate speculation by public officials ▲proactive and preemptive protection and activation of whistleblowing on public interest and corruption ▲strengthening integrity education for public officials and operating integrity education courses through training institutions ▲providing relief and resolving grievances through administrative appeals, ombudsman, etc. ▲improving laws and systems for public participation and communication.

Currently, the province has formed an anti-corruption investigation team related to real estate speculation and is conducting an internal fact-finding investigation. Based on the investigation results, strict measures will be taken against violators, and fundamental improvements will be planned in cooperation with central government ministries where necessary.

The province expects this agreement to be a great help in preparing related measures such as preventing conflicts of interest among public officials.

Earlier, the Gyeonggi Province Clean Society Public-Private Council (co-chaired by Governor Lee Jae-myung and Song Seong-young, Standing Representative of the Gyeonggi Civil Society Organizations Solidarity) adopted a resolution last month at the National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee demanding the prompt passage of the "Conflict of Interest Prevention Act for Public Officials (draft)" currently under review.

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