Public Interest Reports Expanded to 'All Illegal Acts'... Anti-Corruption Commission Seeks Opinions

Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee Holds Meeting with Whistleblower Support Organizations
"Comprehensive Overhaul of Protection and Compensation System"

Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission held a meeting on the 16th at the Government Seoul Office with representatives of organizations supporting whistleblowers to discuss the future direction of the whistleblower protection system. (Photo by Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] On the 10th anniversary of the implementation of the Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act, discussions on expanding the laws subject to public interest reporting and the institutions subject to reporting are gaining momentum. Currently, public interest reports can only be made when violations occur under 471 laws, but there is consideration to change this to allow reporting of "all illegal acts."

On the 16th, Jeon Hyun-hee, Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, held a meeting with representatives of organizations supporting whistleblowers at the Government Seoul Office to discuss the future direction of the whistleblower protection system. At the meeting, Chairperson Jeon plans to hear opinions from support organizations on whether it is necessary to expand the laws subject to public interest reporting to "all laws" and whether to include the media among the institutions subject to reporting.

The meeting will also discuss improvements to procedures related to recognizing the status of corruption and public interest whistleblowers, unification of whistleblower protection and compensation systems, and expansion of anonymous proxy reporting institutions.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the law's enforcement, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission plans to select and announce the "Top 10 Public Interest Reports That Changed the World," and after gathering opinions from various sectors, will undertake a major overhaul of the whistleblower protection and compensation system. Measures under consideration include establishing sanctions against acts of whistleblower identification, mandating disciplinary actions against those who violate confidentiality obligations, providing grounds to request suspension of article publication when a whistleblower's identity is disclosed, and introducing a system to temporarily suspend disadvantageous procedures.

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