KICAC Provides Ethics Rules

Starting from next year, officials will get disciplined if they or any of their relatives are discovered to accept cash, gifts, or entertainment from those related to their business.

Even if donors are not in a business relationship with the officials in question, the bureaucrats will not be able to escape punishment for receiving favors if the amount goes beyond the socially accepted level.

Public officials will be banned to borrow money from those who are in business with them. They will also be banned to notice weddings or funerals of their family members to those working at groups or institutes related to official business, and receive envelopes of cash at such occasions from them.

The Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption (KICAC) headed by Kang Cheol-gyu promoted "proposals for officials` ethics code" on the 21st based on anti-corruption law under a presidential decree or an edict in central and local governments, courts, the National Assembly or the National Election Commission.

Based on the recommendation from KICAC, each agency should develop standards for banned activities by October, give education to employees and enforce provided code of ethics starting from January next year.

Under the proposal, officials will have to obtain permission from their supervisor in advance to hold a second job that pays over 30% of their annual salary or to go on an outside lecture of attend a forum. They should also report to the authorities if they receive more than 500,000 won for a lecture or attendance at a function.

Gifts public officials should not receive under the proposal include coupons, airplane tickets, membership cards and admission tickets. The definition of entertainment has also been expanded to include provision of meals, drinks, golf games, transportation and accommodation.

Other anti-corruption measures for officials entail the prohibition of money lending to those involved in business and giving debt guarantees outside of immediate family members and close relatives.

In addition, the KACIC proposal bans public officials to use information they get to know while performing their jobs to trade or invest in securities or real estates, and to provide such information for other people. Public officials will also be prohibited to give debt guarantees outside of immediate family members and close relatives.

The proposal will not allow officials to join political organizations, and oblige public officials to report to the authorities if they are put under undue pressure from politicians or political parties. A KICAC official said, "The proposal has great significance in that it provided a systematic rules of action to prevent corruption at a time when the `Ten Observances for Public Officials` exist only in name."

Dong-Ki Sung esprit@donga.com