ACRC KOREA - Annual Report 2015 CONTENTS Greetings from the Chairperson······························04 Overview of the Year·····································08 Part 1. Promoting Cooperation ACRC • Chapter 1. Private-Public Partnership and Support for Ethical Business Management················12 • Chapter 2. International Cooperation······································15 • Chapter 3. Public Relations for ACRC······································19 KOREA Part 2. Stimulating Policy Communication with the People - • Chapter 1. Operation of e-People········································22 Annual • Chapter 2. Operation of 110 Government Call Center·······························25 • Chapter 3. Policy Improvement through Complaint Analysis ····························27 Report 2015 • Chapter 4. Reinforcement of Counseling for Civil Complaints···························29 Part 3. Handling Complaints • Chapter 1. Overview of Complaint Handling···································32 • Chapter 2. Status of Complaint Handling·····································34 • Chapter 3. Operation of On-Site Outreach Program ·······························38 • Chapter 4. Active Resolution of Public Conflicts, Grievances of Citizens’ Livelihoods, and Unreasonable Complaints··41 • Chapter 5. Implementation of Policy Function for Prevention of Civil Complaints············46 Part 4. Fighting Corruption • Chapter 1. Establishment and Promotion of Anti-Corruption Policy ························52 • Chapter 2. Efforts for Voluntary Implementation of Anti-Corruption························57 • Chapter 3. Protection and Reward of Whistleblowers and Operation of Code of Conduct for Public Officials ······64 • Chapter 4. Anti-Corruption Educational Training·································72 Part 5. Adjudicating Administrative Appeals • Chapter 1. Operation of Administrative Appeals··································76 • Chapter 2. Achievements of the Central Administrative Appeals Commission····················80 • Chapter 3. Establishment of the Hub-system for Online Administrative Appeals ··················82 Part 6. Improving Laws & Regulations • Chapter 1. Overview of Institutional Improvement ································84 • Chapter 2. Key Examples of Institutional Improvements to Fight Corruption·····················86 • Chapter 3. Key Examples of Institutional Improvement for Resolution of Civil Complaints···············88 Greetings from the Chairperson Also, by operating “On-site Administrative Appeals Service,” the ACRC provided a total of 35 rounds of such service nationwide. The Commission also ran “On-site Outreach Program” for the socially disadvantaged and handled difficulties of those left out of government welfare by cooperating with relevant agencies. For frequently filed complaints, the ACRC dealt with the underlying cause of them by identifying and working on the room for improvement. The ACRC improved unreasonable institutions to meet the public demand. Particularly, we spared no effort to rectify factors that cause inconveniences and complaints in people’s everyday life, by analyzing complaints received to e-People. For example, the size of a photo which should be submitted to a public institution has been standardized as the size of a passport photo, thereby reliving people’s trouble. The Commission worked to better communicate with people. We established “Idea platform” where people can freely suggest their ideas and where policy alternatives can be drawn up after discussion and votes on such ideas. Also, we provided our support so that people’s voices can be reflected to government policies in a rapid manner In 2008, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights with “Early warning system” and “Complaint forecast service.” Commission (ACRC) was established by integrating Korea Independent Commission against Corruption, Next, the ACRC strengthened institutional foundation for corruption prevention. For example, we enacted the Ombudsman of Korea, and the Administrative “Improper Solicitation and Graft Act,” which will be enforced this September. We will make multifaceted efforts to Appeals Commission. Since then, the ACRC has made come up with enforcement decrees of the Act, while educating and promoting the Act, in order for the successful efforts to provide people-centered “One-stop service” implementation of the Act. to protect people’s rights and interests. We bolstered our efforts to prevent budget waste. The ACRC opened the Center for Reporting Public Subsidy In 2015, marking the third anniversary of the Park Fraud to prevent budget waste in both welfare and non-welfare sectors. Last year, we received and handled a May 2016 Guen-hye Administration, the ACRC focused on total of 340 cases of report and recovered KRW 28.7 billion (for 125 cases). protecting people’s rights and interests and preventing corruption and achieved successful results. The ACRC promoted public interest whislte blowing in the private sector and enhanced whistleblower protection system. For instance, the Commission revised the Act on the Protection of Public Interest Whistleblowers to First, the ACRC actively addressed grievances and make the whistleblower protection system more effective by expanding protection for public interest violation Sung Yung-hoon inconveniences of people from their perspective, and whistleblowers. The revised Act was passed by the National Assembly in July, 2015 and went into effect on Chairperson reflected their voices into policies. In particular, the January 25, 2016. Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights number of collective complaints resolved through on- Commission site mediation continuously went up from 43 in 2013 to Based on our achievements, the ACRC will continue to promote policies to realize “a clean and transparent Republic of Korea 54 in 2014 to 65 in 2015. society and a country of happiness.” Overview of the Year - Annual Report 2015 Chapter 1. Achievements So Far and Future Direction • • • ACRC KOREA Overview of the Year Along with the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and the The ACRC will reform abnormal complaint-handling practices. Achievements So Far and Future Act on the Protection of Public Interest Whistleblowers, the In 2015, the ACRC significantly lessened inconvenience for Chapter ACRC is committed to actively endorse enactment of the Act the people by speedily resolving approximately 38,000 so- on the Prevention of False Claims of Public Funds, in order to called “ping-pong complaints” that had been shifted from one Direction effectively prevent false claims for government subsidies and administrative body to another. In 2016, the Commission will 01 grants as well as to thoroughly redeem subsidies and grants more focus on resolving so-called “repeat mark complaints”. that are falsely endowed. “Repeat mark complaints” refer to complaints that are raised again to another government agency because of The ACRC will take pre-emptive response measures the petitioner’s dissatisfaction with the initial handling, but groundbreaking improvement of the corruption-friendly against corruption. Notably, the Commission will implement returned to the agency that took the initial measure without 1. Major Accomplishments culture in Korean society, the ACRC will never stop its multi- Corruption Impact Assessment on overall laws and any proper reason. sided efforts so that the new system can take a firm root in The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) regulations including standards and procedures of tasks our society. Plus, the revision of the Act on the Protection was launched in 2008 after merging three agencies: The devolved or outsourced by government agencies as well as of Public Interest Whistleblowers increased the number of C. Better Communication with the People Ombudsman of Korea; Korea Independent Commission the appropriateness of management and supervision on laws subject to mandatory whistleblower protection from 180 Against Corruption; and The Administrative Appeals those tasks, in order to enhance the transparency of the tasks The ACRC will provide a more convenient communication to 279, to expand the scope of protection for public interest Commission. Since its launching, the ACRC has put its devolved or outsourced to the private sector by the central and system for the public. It will reinforce the integrated counseling whistleblowers. focus on providing more speedy and convenient services local governments, which have been on a constant increase. service for all kinds of civil petitions to government agencies so by integrating the function of protecting the people’s rights that anyone can have his/her questions toward the government Policy Improvement for Better Fulfillment of the including complaint-handling and administrative appeal with The ACRC will spread an advanced culture of integrity answered by just calling 110. “On-line administrative appeals People’s Requests, and Enhancement of Policy the function of anti-corruption. throughout Korean society. A systematic integrity education service” which offers one-stop service from filing for an Communication with the People customized for each phase of public career cycle from the administrative appeal to checking the ruling will also be Making full use of the closer connection and synergy effect very beginning will be offered to public officials, while “integrity expanded. The ACRC discovered unreasonable institutions and practices created by such integration, the ACRC has made multi- guidelines for business management” will be disseminated