Government To Begin Full-Scale Anti-Corruption Movement

Seeing the issue of corruption as a major problem that has to be solved for the country to become an advanced country with competitiveness, the government decided yesterday to begin a pan-nation scale anti-corruption movement cooperating with civic organizations and media institutions.

Consequently, by reinforcing the assessing agencies such as the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea (BAIK) and the prosecutors office, the government decided to punish the corrupted officials regardless of their position according to the principle and standard. The government also made it clear that if a public employee is dismissed due to a corruption charge, he/she will be prohibited from working in related work areas based on the anti-corruption law.

And as soon as the money laundering prevention law is enacted, those who conceal or launder the corrupted money will be harshly chastised and the profit made from the criminal acts will also be confiscated.

Holding an `anti-corruption conference for the Clear Korea 21` presided over by President Kim Dae-Jung at Cheong Wa Dae on 4th, the government decided to root out the corruption. Prime Minister Lee Han-Dong and about 200 other cabinet ministers, head of self-governing bodies, enterprisers, and leaders of the labor unions participated in the conference.

To eliminate the basic sources of corruption for each department, the government decided to set up 420 reform subjects on the government administration, such as to idealize the impractical standards, to guarantee a fair competition environment, and to strengthen cooperative detection system with civic organizations. A united investigation team consisted of officials from related departments will be formed during the second half of this year for a comprehensive investigation.

In particular, as a total corruption prevention system, the government will introduce the `transparency index` system that can measure officials` cleanness level for regular evaluations on all departments and regional self-governing bodies.

The Military Manpower Administration (MMA) reported that to eradicate corruption related with military service, the administration is going to introduce the `double screening system` in which the central physical examination center reexamines those who receive 5th or 6th grade before a final decision for the exemption from the draft.

President Kim said, ``government employees, industries, and the government are competing with the world. Since other countries are effectively governed without corruption, if we remain enchained by the tether of corruption, after all, we will fall behind.``

Jeffrey Jones, the chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, said, ``In the past, foreign businessmen needed to have personal connections with high government officials. But nowadays, Korea is earning a new reputation that requires observation of the law and regulations and appropriate steps. It is very important for a society to maintain the transparency.``

Boo Hyung-Kwon bookum90@donga.com