Government's anti-corruption drive gains steam this week

A drive to eradicate corruption from officialdom is likely to gain steam this week.

Prime Minister Lee Han-Dong is scheduled to receive from the Minister of Justice a comprehensive report detailing measures to curtail corruption among public officials and leaders of Korean society. On Tuesday, a meeting all related ministers will be held and a detailed action program introduced.

The government has proposed to include not only public officials but also those in state-run enterprises and other leading figures in its current movement to root out corruption in order to banish corruption from Korean society. For such measures, various representatives of the government's supervisory divisions and agencies, including the Prosecutor¡¯s Office, the National Police Agency, the Board of Audit and Inspection, National Tax Service and the Financial Supervisory Commission, will come under the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

A high-ranking government official stated Sunday that if society is not freed of rampant corruption, Korea will not be able to become competitive in the 21st Century. He added that high-ranking public officials, state-enterprise upper management personnel and other societal leaders found to be guilty of corruption would be dealt with firmly. For those in the lower echelons, in-house audits and inspections will be conducted for the establishment of public order.

The official further stated that the anti-corruption drive would become a component of the sweeping 4-prong reform drive. Public enterprise officials implicated in acts of corruption or involved in irregularities will be forced to resign in order to bring about inner reform and the "natural" restructuring of the enterprises.

The government has also revealed its plans to wrap up the revisions and follow up measures such as the Anti-corruption Law, Public Enterprise Ethical Law and Money-laundering Prevention Law.