The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, announced the completion of a direct investigation operation into the Government’s work in combating cruelty to animals by the Office of The Ombudsman (“the Office”), with 45 improvement recommendations made to the Government.

Please click here to watch the live replay of our press conference.

In recent years, animal cruelty cases have occurred from time to time in Hong Kong, shocking the community. Some cases are bloody and brutal, where helpless creatures endured extreme cruelty, with some found dead as a result of the abuse. As society advances, cruelty to animals is intolerable to our community.

Mr Chan said, “Many recent cases of animal cruelty are horrifying, leaving the public shocked and heartbroken. Atrocities of this kind amount to a deliberate trampling on the dignity of life and run wholly contrary to the very conscience of a civilised society. They must be condemned by our community. My colleagues and I firmly denounce acts of animal cruelty and urge the general public to work together and spare no effort in protecting animals. Any act or indication of suspected cruelty should be reported immediately and without hesitation, so that we may protect vulnerable lives together.”

Mr Chan noted, “Against this background, I decided to conduct this direct investigation regarding the combat of cruelty to animals. Our objective is to give a voice to the voiceless animals and seek justice for them, as they are among the most vulnerable, helpless and innocent members of our community.”

This direct investigation primarily focuses on examining the effectiveness of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (“AFCD”) in combating animal cruelty, including its protective measures and enforcement against suspected cruelty, publicity and promotional efforts, and in particular, regulation of animal traps. The Office thoroughly examined the AFCD’s procedures for following up on animal cruelty and abuse reports, covering relevant laws and policy documents, operational guidelines, specific cases and data. The Office also conducted site inspections at the AFCD’s animal management centres and at location where animal cruelty had occurred, and randomly selected 200 case files for studying.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance (Cap. 169), the principal legislation that safeguards animal welfare, was enacted to prohibit and penalise acts of animal cruelty. Both AFCD and the Hong Kong Police Force (“HKPF”) are tasked with investigating and prosecuting suspected acts of animal cruelty in accordance with Cap. 169. Between 2020 and 2025, there was an overall upward trend in the number of reports received by AFCD, as well as in the number of cases registered by HKPF after preliminary investigations that uncovered evidence. In the first six months of 2025, AFCD received 251 reports, a figure close to the annual average of the past few years.

The Government launched earlier a public consultation on proposed amendments to Cap. 169, which included tougher penalties and enhanced enforcement powers. The Office understands that AFCD will continue the amendment process, and considers that phased amendments should be adopted, with priority given to imposing tougher penalties and enhancing enforcement, etc.

The Office’s investigation found that the AFCD’s investigation has been ineffective. Some cases have shown that when AFCD staff were unable to enter a flat for investigation, or failed to check on the abused animals, they based their actions solely on the information available at the time to assess whether there was animal cruelty. AFCD explained that under Cap. 169, its staff may only enter premises for investigation with the occupier’s consent, and the ordinance does not authorise the Department to seek court warrants for enforcement.

Mr Chan said, “We consider that where AFCD staff cease follow-up actions without ascertaining the actual condition of the animals, it calls into question whether the Department has handled reports seriously and properly. The investigative approach is ineffective against offenders intending to conceal evidence, and it directly undermines the effectiveness in pursuing prosecutions.”

In one case, AFCD staff negotiated multiple times with the owner of a dog suspected of being abused for a site inspection. Although the owner appeared to agree, he kept putting the inspection off. Eventually, the inspection was not carried out. The dog owner admitted that he had not applied for a dog licence, which already amounted to an offence, yet AFCD only reminded him to do so without taking enforcement action. Given the severity of rabies, the Office considers that AFCD should adopt a more serious and proactive approach in following up on the case.

The Office’s investigation also found that while there are guidelines for handling cases involving a large number of animals and requiring substantial manpower, AFCD has not established guidelines for following up on general cases. Without such guidelines, AFCD staff adopt different practices, which may result in inconsistent standards in investigations and enforcement, and may undermine effectiveness. It is unsatisfactory that AFCD only began formulating new guidelines covering all reports of suspected animal cruelty after this direct investigation was launched.

Concerning the monitoring of case follow-ups, AFCD must intensify its efforts. AFCD indicated that all suspected cases of animal cruelty must be reviewed and approved for closure by the case officer’s supervisor. The Department’s veterinary officers are also expected to periodically check the follow-up actions of frontline staff. However, the Office found in one case that AFCD staff refrained from attempting to enter the flat for inspection because of the occupier’s dissatisfaction and did not adopt other feasible means to complete the investigation. Without confirming whether animal cruelty had occurred, the staff recommended ceasing follow-up action based on the findings of an investigation conducted a year earlier that had found no evidence of animal cruelty, and a single inspection conducted outside the flat. Even so, the supervisor did not question this recommendation and approved the case closure. This casts doubt on whether it was prudent, or even reasonable, for AFCD to close the case under such circumstances.

Another focus of this direct investigation is the enforcement against the illegal use of animal traps. Such traps pose a serious threat to the safety of wild animals, stray animals and pets, inflicting horrendous pain, severe and permanent injury, or even death. They are equally dangerous to humans, posing a serious threat to hikers or members of the public who accidentally step on them, particularly children and the elderly, who may suffer injuries ranging from minor injuries to amputation, and in the worst cases, death. The maximum penalty in force for illegal possession or use of animal traps is only a fine at level 5 (i.e. $50,000), with no provision for imprisonment. By contrast, under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance, the maximum penalty for illegal feeding of pigeons has been raised to a fine at level 6 (i.e. $100,000) and one year’s imprisonment.

Mr Chan said, “Illegal pigeon feeding and illegal possession and use of animal traps are certainly offences of a different nature. However, given the severe safety risks that animal traps pose to animals and the public, the current penalties completely fail to reflect the seriousness and danger of animal trap offences and provide no deterrent effect. Traps such as gin traps, metal snare traps, netting traps, sharpened bamboo traps, cage traps and deadfall traps, by their violent nature and danger level, are in fact no different from those of ordinary offensive weapons. These traps may lead to potential injuries, permanent disability or even death. We recommend that AFCD make reference to the current penalties for illegal possession and use of offensive weapons, and seriously consider raising the penalties for illegal possession and use of animal traps—for example, by introducing immediate imprisonment as a strong deterrent—and strengthening collaboration with relevant enforcement agencies to curb the import of animal traps.”

Overall, the Office has made 45 major recommendations for improvements to AFCD, covering handling of animal cruelty reports, case monitoring, records management, publicity and education, the tripartite collaboration mechanism with the HKPF and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (“SPCA”), as well as enforcement against the illegal use of animal traps.

The Office’s major recommendations for improvement include:

• consider amending Cap. 169 by adding provisions to strengthen the enforcement powers of staff of the Department, for example, by introducing procedures that allow them to enter private premises for investigation without the occupier’s consent;

• define in the New Guidelines the factors to be considered when initiating the relevant procedures for large-scale cases;

• continue to provide appropriate staff training on the New Guidelines regularly;

• continue to remind staff to remain vigilant at all times and to handle every report with a proactive, conscientious, and serious attitude;

• enhance staff training on investigation and communication skills to improve their ability and resolve when handling unco-operative residents, pet keepers or building attendants;

• review and strengthen the mechanisms currently in place for monitoring frontline staff;

• collate and analyse relevant information in detail to assess how relevant policies are being implemented and emerging trends, adjust enforcement strategies and develop appropriate work directions and specific measures to combat animal cruelty more effectively;

• further strengthen the tripartite collaboration with the HKPF and the SPCA against animal cruelty;

• make greater efforts to detect and remove illegally deployed animal traps at an early stage through regular patrols and targeted inspections of high-risk black spots of animal traps and cruelty; and
• with reference to the penalties for the illegal possession and use of offensive weapons, consider raising those for illegal possession and use of animal traps.

AFCD has accepted all 45 recommendations from the Office and has started to act on and implement some of them.

Furthermore, the Office is pleased to note that since 2011, HKPF has worked with AFCD, other government departments, the SPCA, other animal welfare organisations and veterinary bodies to launch the Animal Watch Scheme. Notably, since 2018, HKPF has established dedicated teams in 22 police districts where criminal investigation teams are already in place, to investigate animal cruelty cases, a move that deserves recognition, support and commendation by society.

Mr Chan said, “The Police’s Animal Watch Scheme has raised public awareness of animal protection through education and publicity, fostering greater respect for and protection of life across society. At the same time, it has reinforced efforts to combat animal cruelty through the establishment of dedicated criminal investigation teams. We highly commend HKPF for its work in this regard.”

• FEDERAL OMBUDSMAN OPENS ONLINE MEETING TO MARK THE 30^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AOA
• CALLS FOR GREATER SHARING OF EXPERIENCES AND BEST PRACTICES AMONGST OMBUDS INSTITUTIONS

Islamabad: 16 April 2026 – Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman), Mr. Naveed Kamran Baloch has said that Ombudsman Institutions across the globe are playing a critical role in providing free and expeditious redressal of grievances to the people, besides promoting good governance, rule of law and efficient public administration.

He was inaugurating an online meeting organized to mark the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA), at the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat today in his capacity as the Association’s President. The other member countries, including Azerbaijan, Türkiye, China, Thailand, Uzbekistan etc. joined online and read out their special messages issued on the occasion.

Wafaqi Mohtasib noted that these bodies have the potential to transform the fate of the teeming millions particularly in the developing countries. Expressing his satisfaction over achieving this milestone, he observed that “the sapling which was planted three decades ago, stands today as a dynamic and robust 47-member organization, representing two-thirds of the world’s population”. “Its evolution is indeed most remarkable, inspiring confidence in the goals and objectives of Ombudsmanship and upholding commitment to working together in the best interest of the Asian regional fraternity”, he added.

The Wafaqi Mohtasib further maintained that it is about time to institutionalize sharing of knowledge, experiences and best practices to foster a culture of efficiency, inclusivity and transparency in public administration with a view to safeguarding the rights of citizens in our respective societies. On the occasion, he also reiterated Pakistan’s adherence to the goals and objectives of the Association.

While highlighting the Association’s international standing and stature, he stated that it can be gauged from the fact that the UNGA Resolution 79/177 recognizes the AOA among the active regional ombuds bodies, which is a matter of deep satisfaction. He also referred to the complementarity between the goals of ombudsmanship and the SDGs and observed that it is reflective of the Association’s abiding commitment to the principles of the UN Charter.

It may be recalled that Pakistan alongwith certain other likeminded countries played a pioneering role in the establishment of the Asian Ombudsman Association, following convening of the First Asian Ombudsman Conference in Islamabad on 15-16 April 1996, which led to the formation of AOA and Pakistan is also its current President. It may also be mentioned that the AOA’s Secretariat is located in the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) Office premises in Islamabad.

Díli, 12 March 2026 – The Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice, Virgílio da Silva Guterres “Lamukan”, together with the Deputy Ombudsman for Human Rights, Maria Marília da Costa, participated in a meeting organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste to discuss the E-Governance for the Judicial System in Timor-Leste (e-JUSTI) programme, funded by the European Union. The meeting brought together representatives from several institutions, including the Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Lithuania, to exchange views on strengthening the modernization and digitalization of the judicial system in Timor-Leste.

During the discussion, the Ombudsman introduced the mandate and role of the Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice of Timor-Leste in promoting good governance and protecting citizens’ rights. He welcomed the initiative, noting that the development of the e-Justice system could help improve the efficiency of the justice sector and facilitate better access to justice for the public. The Ombudsman also emphasized that the implementation of digital judicial systems should be supported by key legal frameworks, including a data protection law and legislation on cybercrime and cyber security, to ensure the protection of users and the integrity of online systems. In addition, he highlighted the importance of publishing court decisions online to enhance transparency and allow the public to scrutinize judicial decisions, thereby strengthening accountability within the justice system.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan organized a scientific-practical conference entitled “Strategic Cooperation in Preventing Violence against Women: Opportunities and Prospects.”

At the event, Lamiya Zeynalova, Head of the Department for the Protection of the Right to Information in the Ombudsman Office, delivered a speech and provided information on the Ombudsman’s activities for the protection of women’s rights, gender equality, preventing gender-based and domestic violence, non-discrimination, and so on.

She also spoke about the Ombudsman proposals reflected in the annual reports that were considered by the relevant state authorities and positively contributed to the improvement of the legislative framework. She emphasized the importance of regular awareness-raising activities on women’s rights, gender equality, and preventing violence against women (VAW), as well as on-site investigation within duties arising from monitoring groups.

During the event, a video clip entitled “Provision of Social and Legal Assistance to Women Subjected to Violence” was shown. As well, current prevention mechanisms against VAW were also discussed, and the importance of legal regulation and cooperation in this field was underlined.

Díli, 24 March 2026 – The Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice, Virgílio da Silva Guterres “Lamukan,” accompanied by Deputy Ombudsman for Good Governance, Rigoberto Monteiro, and Deputy Ombudsman for Human Rights, Maria Marília da Costa, met with the President of the National Parliament, Maria Fernanda Lay. The meeting aimed to follow up on a letter previously submitted by the Ombudsman requesting the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT).

During the meeting, the Ombudsman emphasized that ratifying OPCAT would fulfil Timor-Leste’s commitment to its international obligations. He referred to the recommendations of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR), commonly known as CHEGA, which called for measures to prevent future torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. The Ombudsman also highlighted that, under its statutory mandate, the Provedoria dos Direitos Humanos e Justiça (PDHJ) has the competence to propose to the government the ratification of international treaties and to advocate for their implementation following ratification.

The Ombudsman further noted that ratifying international human rights instruments aligns with Timor-Leste’s standing as a nation committed to human rights and democratic values. As a small country, Timor-Leste can take pride in championing these principles on the international stage. The Ombudsman also suggested to the President of Parliament that, following ratification, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) could be vested in PDHJ. Under its current statute, the Ombudsman already holds the mandate to conduct visits to prisons, police detention centres, and other places where people are deprived of liberty, making it more efficient than creating a new body.

President of Parliament welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the proposals submitted by PDHJ. She noted that her office has communicated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and expects the Ministry to submit a formal proposal for ratification to the National Parliament. Once received, Parliament will proceed with further action on the matter.

The meeting also addressed the urgent need for a Data Protection Law, a Cybersecurity Law, and a Cybercrime Law. Additionally, the discussion covered the importance of ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. PDHJ has finalized a concept note on this Convention and will conduct further consultations with civil society organizations before submitting it to Parliament and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Furthermore, the Ombudsman raised the initiative to amend the PDHJ Statute to accommodate recent institutional developments and emerging necessities. The proposed amendments aim to strengthen the institution’s mandate, enhance its effectiveness in protecting human rights and promoting good governance, and ensure alignment with international standards and the evolving needs of the Timorese people.

The Office of the Ombudsman Punjab commemorated International Women’s Day with a special event dedicated to celebrating the strength, leadership, and contributions of women across diverse fields. The event reflected the institution’s continued commitment to promoting gender equality and empowering women through accessible and effective grievance redressal mechanisms.

The occasion was graced by Ombudsman Punjab, Ms. Ayesha Hamid, whose leadership continues to strengthen institutional accountability and safeguard women’s rights. The event also featured distinguished speakers, including Ms. Mariya Suhail, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Orah Jewels, and Ms. Roohi Raees Khan, Former Chairperson of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd., who shared valuable insights on leadership, resilience, and the evolving role of women in professional and public spheres.

The programme concluded with remarks by Secretary to the Ombudsman Punjab, Mr. Kaiser Saleem, reinforcing the importance of collective efforts to advance women’s empowerment and ensure inclusive, equitable access to justice.

The CCAC received a report, claiming that a light vehicle driver of the Office of the President of the Court of Final Appeal allegedly gave false information to defraud family subsidy.

Upon investigation, the CCAC found that the driver involved in the case, who had been living with his wife, father-in-law and mother-in-law together for many years, knew full well that his father-in-law had a full-time job and received stable income every month and that his father-in-law and mother-in-law had all along been receiving old-age pension, with the duo’s total annual revenue exceeding the maximum limit for applying for the family subsidy on a per-capita basis. However, the driver involved in the case still submitted to his department the “Application Form for Family Subsidy” and some other documents in which false information was contained, defrauding the family subsidy with a total sum of more than MOP120,000.

The driver is suspected to have committed the crime of fraud involving high value provided for in the Penal Code. The CCAC has referred the case to the Public Prosecutions Office for handling and has notified the Office of the President of the Court of Final Appeal.

The CCAC pointed out that the family subsidy is designed to support public servants to bear living expenses of their family members. Public servants should make declarations truthfully and accurately, receive the subsidy according to real conditions, and should not take chances to give false declaration for making a profit.

– Results of collaborative project between the ACRC and The POSTECH Institute for Social Data Science released on Feb. 3rd

– Confirmed that the low birth rate is interconnected with various policy areas across overall daily lives of the people

– Proposed the need for integrated policy design encompassing life cycles and

policy domains

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) announced the results of the collaborative project with the POSTECH Institute for Social Data Science titled “Research on Policy Demand Analysis and Improvement Measures Based on Public Complaints on the Low Birth Rates”
on Feb. 3.

The Commission has pursued collaborative projects with the Institute after signing an MOU in 2020, by focusing on addressing social issues through analysis and utilization of big data on public complaints, research on data analysis techniques, and information exchange.

※ Conducted studies on “Analysis on Public Complaints Big Data to Strengthen Consumer Protection Policies for Online Commerce”(2024) and“Identifying the Hardships of the Youth in Rural Areas of Korea through Complaint Analysis” (2023)

The study compared and analyzed approximately 560,000 “Public Complaints Data on low birth rate*” received from 2021 to 2024 with the key policies by life cycle** included in the “Fourth Basic Plan for Low Birthrate and Aging Society.” It aimed to diagnose the effectiveness and public perception of the policies targeting low birthrate and propose directions for policy improvement.

* Took pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, and education as keywords to identify complaints that are

relevant to low birth rates

** Stages of life cycle: Pregnancy/Childbirth, Infancy/Early Childhood, Childhood/Adolescence, and

Entire Life Cycle

Analysis tells that relevant complaints were most concentrated during the childhood/adolescence stage. By policy area, complaints were from a wide range of fields from childcare/education, employment/labor, health/medical care, and culture, demonstrating that the diverse policy areas and all aspects of people’s lives are closely connected to the low birthrate issue.

When considering both life cycle and policy areas, in particular, it turned out that following areas consistently require improvement: healthcare/medical fields linked with pregnancy and childbirth phase, such as infertility and sub-fertility support and delivery infrastructure; childcare field linked with infancy and early childhood phase such as human resource allocation and safety management of childcare centers; education field linked with childhood and adolescence phase such as school food service, after-school programs, and childcare classrooms. At the same time, continuous improvement demands were evident in the employment and labor environment throughout the entire life cycle, for instance working hours, organizational culture, and childcare leave systems.

Based on these findings, the team suggested that the integrated policy design that encompasses both the life cycle and policy areas is required to address the low birthrate issue as it is difficult to resolve it by caring for a single life stage or improving respective policy.

The ACRC plans to share the findings with relevant agencies to facilitate policy utilization, ensuring citizens’ voices to be incorporated into low birthrate policies.

Director General Kim Ki Sun of the Institutional Improvement Bureau under the ACRC stated, “This study serves as an example of policy review based on citizens’ voices. We expect it to be utilized as important reference material for enhancing the effectiveness of upcoming policies on addressing low birthrate.”

On March 3, 2026, the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva, spoke before the Parliament on the 2025 Annual Report on the Protection of Human Rights in Azerbaijan.

Prior to the address, the Ombudsman and staff members of the Office visited the grave of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, paying deep respects to his memory.  They also honored the cherished memory of Zarifa Aliyeva, the distinguished ophthalmologist and academician at the Alley of Honor.

Subsequently, the Alley of Martyrs was visited to pay tribute to the memory of the martyrs who had fallen their lives for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country with deep respect.

Later, in an interview with media representatives, Sabina Aliyeva briefed about the key issues to be addressed during the presentation of the annual report to the Parliament. The Ombudsman noted that the recommendations and suggestions outlined in the report are aimed at ensuring the effective protection of the rights of various population groups.

During her speech at the Parliament, the Ombudsman provided a comprehensive overview of the situation regarding protection of human rights and freedoms in Azerbaijan over the past year, the actions taken, existing challenges, and the tasks ahead. The Ombudsman proposed several recommendations and suggestions in the report for more effective protection and promotion of human rights and freedoms in the country.

It should be noted that the 2025 Ombudsman’s Report has been published on the official website of the institution and has been shared with relevant media outlets for wider public dissemination.

– Focus on disseminating the culture of integrity among younger generations and improving corruption-prone areas in local communities through expanded assessments including national/public universities and local public corporations/agencies, to support national task “Reform Corruption Prevention Systems to Realize the Rights of Citizens”

– Conduct systematic assessments by establishing the K-CLEAN assessment model, and strengthening the virtuous cycle of

“assessment-diagnosis-improvement”

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) announced the basic plan for the 2026 Comprehensive Integrity Assessment for Public Institutions on Feb. 11th.

The Comprehensive Integrity Assessment for Public Institutions is one of the major anti-corruption institutions designed to diagnose the level of integrity and corruption-prone areas within the public sector from the people’s perspective, hence improve institutions and practices to realize fair and accountable administration that citizens can tangibly experience.

2026 Comprehensive Integrity Assessment will target 580 public institutions, including central administrative agencies, local governments, offices of education, public corporations, quasi-governmental organizations, public medical institutions, and local councils.

To ensure the sustainability of anti-corruption reforms, particularly, the assessment will expand its target and include more national and public universities, supporting younger generations in internalizing the values of fairness and accountability.

Last year’s assessment of national and public universities covered 16 universities which recruit more than 2,500 freshmen. The number of universities will increase this year, covering a total of 33 institutions of 29 four-year national and public universities and 4 science and technology institutes.

For basic councils, the assessment plan is to focus on institutions that received lower grades (grades 4 and 5) last year.

Furthermore, for local corporations and public institutions under metropolitan governments, the number of target institutions will increase from last year’s 19 – directly handling real estate – to 33 this year by adding institutions which managing transportation, urban railways, and infrastructure, to improve corruption risk areas in local fields.

The Comprehensive Integrity Assessment for public institutions decides the rank of public institutions by combining the results of assessments in following areas: Integrity Perception, Integrity Effort, and Integrity Penalty Areas.

The Integrity Perception is measured through surveys of citizens who have directly experienced the institution’s main services, as well as employees regarding their perceptions and experiences of corruption. The Integrity Effort evaluates the institution’s anti-corruption initiatives, such as improvements on corruption-prone areas. Finally, the “Integrity Penalty” was previously assessed separately as corruption status evaluation of each areas until last year. This year, however, they have been integrated and reorganized to enhance the consistency of the assessment system.

*    Deduct points for incidents such as actual corruption cases, failure to perform anti-corruption duties, or actions undermining accountability

This year, in particular, would like to utilize the Integrity Effort indicator to go beyond the formal system operation and support anti-corruption reforms that works effectively in the field. It aims to strengthen integrity education for younger generations, enhance on-site implementation level of conflict of interest prevention institution, and encourage proactive inspections of blind spots in the fraudulent receipt of public funds.

At the same time, the commission establishes the “K-CLEAN” integrity effort assessment model to systematically assess everything from the foundation for anti-corruption initiatives to the implementation performance of integrity policies and institutions, and the outcomes of anti-corruption efforts. Moreover, by identifying corruption-prone areas and linking them to policy feedback loops, a virtuous cycle of evaluation, diagnosis, and improvement will be strengthened.

Based on the announced plan, the ACRC will collect opinions from target institutions at all levels. The implementation plan will finalize in April to May, begin the Integrity Perception survey in August, conduct assessment of Integrity Efforts and Integrity Penalty from October, and announce the final results in December.

The Vice Chairperson of the ACRC Anti-Corruption Bureau, Lee Myong Sun, stated: “The basic plan for the Comprehensive Integrity Assessment of public institutions is prepared to precisely diagnose and analyze the integrity levels of institutions at all levels and, based on the results, enable them to concentrate their capabilities on improving corruption-prone areas.”

He added, “The Commission will continue to encourage autonomous effort of the public institutions to pursue anti-corruption and integrity policies through the Comprehensive Integrity Assessment so that Korea to be placed in the solid 20s in terms of the Corruption Perception Index.”