During One Year of the Yoon Administration... No Anti-Corruption Policy Council Meetings Held

Heads of Major Intelligence Agencies Gather to Discuss Policies
Held 7 Times During Previous Administration

The Anti-Corruption Policy Council, where heads of major government investigative agencies gather to discuss anti-corruption policies, has not been held even once since the Yoon Seok-yeol administration took office. It is presumed that the council has not convened due to the relationship between Jeon Hyun-hee, the Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, who is regarded as a 'stalwart' appointee, and the current administration.

According to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission on the 9th, the Anti-Corruption Policy Council has not been held even once during the first year of the current administration. The council is convened according to the presidential directive titled 'Regulations on the Fair Society Anti-Corruption Policy Council.' The president serves as the chairperson, and the Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, the Chairperson of the Fair Trade Commission, the Chairperson of the Financial Services Commission, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of the Interior and Safety, the Minister of National Defense, and the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency attend to formulate anti-corruption policies.

The Anti-Corruption Policy Council was first held in September 2017 during the Moon Jae-in administration and convened a total of seven times. At the first council meeting in 2017, issues such as the power imbalance in agency-dealer relationships, local entrenched corruption, and defense industry corruption were addressed. In 2019, amid controversy surrounding the investigation of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, then-Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, now President, attended the council meeting. Former President Moon Jae-in stated at the council, "From now on, the task is to establish and equip a fair anti-corruption system that will not be shaken regardless of who becomes the Prosecutor General, not just Prosecutor General Yoon."

President Yoon is expected not to convene the council during Jeon Hyun-hee’s tenure. Last August, Jeon was embroiled in allegations of habitual tardiness and underwent an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection. Jeon described this as a 'purge' against agency heads from opposition parties and protested. Meanwhile, the ruling party and government criticize Jeon as a 'stalwart' appointee. Jeon’s term ends at the end of next month.

Our publication inquired with the Presidential Office about why the Anti-Corruption Policy Council has not been convened even once since the government took office, but the Presidential Office did not respond.

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