[Invitation Seat] Reinforcement of protection and compensation for reporters of corruption... How does it change?

<Anchor> The

recent amendment to the law to protect reporters of corruption and significantly strengthen compensation is about to pass the National Assembly today (9th). Let's talk about our concerns, including this issue, with Jeon Hyun-hee, Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.

[Hyun-hee Jeon/Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission: The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission is an organization that protects whistleblowers in the public interest. Therefore, public interest reporting is protected in accordance with the Public Interest Reporter Protection Act. We also accept reports of corruption that are not public interest reports and protect the whistleblowers. However, in the Public Interest Reporter Protection Act, there is such a system in which a lawyer makes a report in a non-real name on behalf of the lawyer. This time, the anti-corruption law is due to pass today. In that law, a provision in the Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act that allows such a lawyer to file a report on behalf of the public interest whistleblower is also passed today. And again, the reporters get a lot of disadvantages because of the report. Then again, defamation and various other lawsuits will be filed, and the ACRC will pay for the costs of the lawsuit. Also, the reporter may be subject to criminal punishment or administrative punishment due to the report. In such a case, the law was passed today, which can reduce the reporter's responsibility, and such a system will be prepared to protect more broadly in case of corruption report.]

[Jeon Hyun-hee/Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission: In principle, the Anti-Graft Act cannot provide money or valuables to public officials who are related to their work. As an exception, you could give up to 100,000 won in the case of agricultural and marine products as gifts on holidays. However, in this case, a law that raises the value standard from 100,000 won to 200,000 won is passed. So, in fact, there have been many criticisms of this as undermining the purpose of the Anti-Graft Act. In fact, I think that the National Assembly revised the law this time because there are many arguments that it is difficult for rural areas due to the Anti-Graft Act.]

[Jeon Hyun-hee/Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission: Many people have complained about the excessive price of public golf courses and the service problem through the People's Sinmungo. So, when we did a fact-finding survey, we confirmed many cases where the price was higher than that of a membership golf course, even though it was actually a public golf course, and the service was also forced on the members. However, as you know, public golf courses are receiving benefits such as individual consumption tax and property tax of over 3 billion won per golf course from the government. (It was created to popularize golf.) Yes, of course, the price should be cheap and the service should be good, but in reality, this is not the case, so there are many cases where we are operating a public golf course as a member system again this time. So, in such a case, we recommended to the relevant ministries to take measures to prevent tax benefits from receiving membership-based golf courses, and to strengthen management and supervision of this public golf course’s fee and member recruitment. In addition, we have announced this to the Fair Trade Commission so that users can make a choice without actually forcing incidental services.]

[Hyunhee Jeon/Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission: December 9 is the Anti-Corruption Day set by the UN.

So, before and after this day, many events are held as our ACRC Week.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission will announce the results of the integrity measurement of each public institution that is measured annually.

And, on the occasion of various anti-corruption weeks, the ACRC is preparing various events to enhance anti-corruption-related integrity.]