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Press Release
Guidelines on the Code of Conduct revised to diminish cronyism
- Date2015-01-08
- Hit1,705
June 30, 2014
Consultation obligations with regard to cronyism expanded to include retirees
The ACRC revised the Guidelines on the Code of Conduct for Public Officials on June 30th. Following the revision, public officials are now obliged to report to their superiors or the Code of Conduct Officers if their duty is related to those involved in cronyism, such as a retired public official.
The previous version of the Code of Conduct for Public Officials required public officials to consult on whether they should take a duty in advance if the duty given was related to organizations where their relatives worked or they themselves had worked in the previous two years; and where a party involved in a money transaction of a certain amount and their family member were executives.
However, the previous version of the Code of Conduct was not that effective in the case of solicitation customarily taking place based on cronyism, such as by retired public officials, and those sharing place of origin or school backgrounds.
A survey that the ACRC conducted in December 2013 on citizens and public officials showed that 35% of public official respondents and 27% of citizen respondents agreed that, "The practice of seeking favors and soliciting in public offices mostly occurs based on cronyism related to hometown and school background." It was concluded that cronyism based on regional and educational affiliation is the biggest cause of the practice of seeking favors and soliciting.
In May 2014, the ACRC revised the Guidelines on the Code of Conduct for Public Officials to address this problem after collecting opinions from central government bodies, local governments, and other public service-related organizations.
According to the revised guidelines, public officials must consult additionally on whether to take a duty before accepting the duty if the following stakeholders are involved:
- Retired public officials of their organization who worked in the same department for the previous five years before retirement;
- Those who are deemed to hinder fair performance of duty because of a close relationship connected with educational, religious or regional background, career connections, or the year of employment; and
- Those who are deemed to hinder fair performance of duty because of a close relationship formed after giving direct benefits from awarding license/permission, conclusion of a contract, establishment or implementation of policy/project in the past two years.
Consultation obligations with regard to cronyism expanded to include retirees
The ACRC revised the Guidelines on the Code of Conduct for Public Officials on June 30th. Following the revision, public officials are now obliged to report to their superiors or the Code of Conduct Officers if their duty is related to those involved in cronyism, such as a retired public official.
The previous version of the Code of Conduct for Public Officials required public officials to consult on whether they should take a duty in advance if the duty given was related to organizations where their relatives worked or they themselves had worked in the previous two years; and where a party involved in a money transaction of a certain amount and their family member were executives.
However, the previous version of the Code of Conduct was not that effective in the case of solicitation customarily taking place based on cronyism, such as by retired public officials, and those sharing place of origin or school backgrounds.
A survey that the ACRC conducted in December 2013 on citizens and public officials showed that 35% of public official respondents and 27% of citizen respondents agreed that, "The practice of seeking favors and soliciting in public offices mostly occurs based on cronyism related to hometown and school background." It was concluded that cronyism based on regional and educational affiliation is the biggest cause of the practice of seeking favors and soliciting.
In May 2014, the ACRC revised the Guidelines on the Code of Conduct for Public Officials to address this problem after collecting opinions from central government bodies, local governments, and other public service-related organizations.
According to the revised guidelines, public officials must consult additionally on whether to take a duty before accepting the duty if the following stakeholders are involved:
- Retired public officials of their organization who worked in the same department for the previous five years before retirement;
- Those who are deemed to hinder fair performance of duty because of a close relationship connected with educational, religious or regional background, career connections, or the year of employment; and
- Those who are deemed to hinder fair performance of duty because of a close relationship formed after giving direct benefits from awarding license/permission, conclusion of a contract, establishment or implementation of policy/project in the past two years.
