– ACRC published the results of inspection into employment status of 1,612 public officials including those dismissed for corruption over the past five years

– Most cases involved employment at companies related to their duties held while in office…

– For three still illegally employed individuals, the Commission requested that their employment should be terminated

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan) has carried out an inspection into the employment status of 1,612 public officials in the first half of this year, who were dismissed for corruption while serving in public institutions or were sentenced to fines of 3 million won or more after leaving office for corruption-related acts (hereinafter “dismissed-for-corruption officials”) within the past five years. As a result of the inspection, the Commission found 11 individuals who violated employment restriction regulations.

* Dismissed-for-corruption officials are prohibited for five years from reemployment at public institutions, organizations related to the corruption, or for-profit companies closely related to the department (institution) where they served (Act on the Prevention of Corruption and the Establishment and Operation of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, Article 82)

Among the violators, eight were employed by for-profit firms related to their official duties that they had held while in public office, two by public institutions, and one by an organization related to the corrupt conduct.

Their former employers before dismissal were central administrative agencies (3), local governments (3), and public service-related organizations (5).

Major cases of violation include the following: A former public official A at a central government agency was dismissed in Dec. 2023 for embezzlement and subsequently landed a job at a firm that had been evaluated and inspected by the division where he previously served, receiving 4.76 million won in monthly pay.

A former central government official B was sentenced to imprisonment for accepting entertainment and for instigating disclosure of confidential information, and afterward he received 12 million won as consulting fees from a firm that provided entertainment and later worked at a public institution earning 4.26 million in monthly wage.

A former local government official C was dismissed in June 2023 for bribery, and then employed by a company from which his former department had procured from, receiving 4.35 million won per month.

For seven out of the 11 illegally employed individuals, the Commission requested the heads of the institutions that these individuals had previously served to refer them to investigative authorities on charges of violating the post-employment restriction regulation for dismissed-for-corruption officials*.

* Violation carries up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine up to 20 million won (Act on the Prevention of Corruption and the Establishment and Operation of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, Article 89)

It turned out that of the seven referral targets, four have since retired from their jobs, but three remain illegally employed.

The Commission therefore demanded the heads of the firms to which the dismissed-for-corruption officials belong to that measures be taken to have those three removed from their positions.

Kim Eung Tae, Director General of the Inspection and Protection Bureau of the ACRC, said, “We will put more efforts into strict enforcement of the post-employment restriction system for dismissed-for-corruption officials in order for public officials remain vigilant against corruption so that a trustworthy public office can be established.”