"Foreign Companies Expect Korea to be Free from Corruption"

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission held Policy Roundtable Meeting with Foreign Businesses

May 16, 2018

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission

The Republic of Korea

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission held a meeting for communication with foreign companies in Korea to listen to their difficulties in business operation or daily lives in Korea and share opinions to resolve such difficulties.

On April 18, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Pak Un Jong) held a policy roundtable meeting with executives of Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Korea at President Hotel, Seoul to introduce the Korean government’s major anti-corruption policies and listen to difficulties of foreign businesses in Korea.

Since its establishment in 2008, the ACRC has held the business roundtable meeting with foreign businesses every year to enhance interest and understanding of foreign businesses in the government’s anti-corruption policies and raise Korea’s national integrity. This year’s roundtable meeting was the first of its kind since the launch of the Moon Jae-in administration.

The meeting was attended by nine executives of foreign Chambers of Commerce in Korea including Mr. Sean Blakeley, Chairman of British Chamber of Commerce in Korea and Mr. Christoph Heider, President of European Chamber of Commerce in Korea.

At the meeting, ACRC Chairperson Pak Un Jong emphasized the Korean government’s strong anti-corruption will of making Korea a clean nation free from corruption and introduced the Commission’s 2018 work plan as well as listening difficulties and suggestions from foreign businesses in business operation or every-day lives in Korea.

Participants gave a strong support to the government’s strong anti-corruption will and showed high expectation toward a Korea free from corruption. They shared the opinion of professor Andrew Spalding at the University of Richmond School of Law, who recently came to Korea and said that Korea is now leading global anti-corruption efforts as seen in the changes brought by the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act which reduced common irregularities in Korean society. They showed a keen interest in the Enforcement Decree of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act which was recently amended, requesting interpretation thereof.

Chairperson Pak said, “As Korea’s supreme anti-corruption agency and national ombudsman institution, the ACRC will continue to carefully listen to opinions of foreign businesses in Korea and spare no effort to resolve their difficulties.”