ACRC chairperson discussed anti-corruption cooperation with UK ambassador

October 26, 2017

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission

The Republic of Korea

On October 26, ACRC Chairperson Pak Un Jong met Charles Hay, the UK Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, to discuss the anti-corruption policies of the new Korean government and bilateral cooperation in anti-corruption.

Korea and the UK have promoted the anti-corruption cooperative project since 2014 in order to expand cooperation between the two countries’ anti-corruption related organizations, share policies and experiences, and improve awareness in both the public and private sectors.

During the meeting, Chairperson Pak introduced details of the new government’s anti-corruption policy direction, such as the conducting of anti-corruption policy consultative meetings, the strengthening of protection for public interest whistleblowers, and the organizing of an anti-corruption public-private consultative group. Chairperson Pak also highlighted the positive response from citizens in the year since the enforcement of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

The representatives from both countries were particularly mindful of the importance and necessity of protecting public interest whistleblowers and promised to share relevant policies and experiences. They also declared that the successful enforcement of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act would contribute to improved transparency in the business environment by providing opportunities for fair competition among businesses.

Ambassador Hay sympathized with the overall anti-corruption policy direction of the new Korean government and expressed his expectations for the public-private consultative group, by which private citizens will participate in political processes such as establishing, monitoring, and evaluating policies. He also requested the Korean government’s interest and collaboration in the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC), which launched last July as a result of the Anti-corruption Summit held in London last May.

The two sides agreed that the ACRC and the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea (BCCK) would jointly conduct a Business Ombudsman On-site Meeting and promote anti-corruption projects in the defense industry.