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Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption | |
Hangul | 국가청렴위원회 |
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Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Gukga cheongnyeom wiwonhoe |
McCune–Reischauer | Kukka ch'ŏngnyŏm wiwŏnhoe |
The Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption is an independent commission that reports to the President in its fight against corruption and the consequent promotion of the clean administration of South Korea.
The Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption (KICAC) was established on 25 January 2002,under the Anti-Corruption Act of Korea,which was enacted by the Korean National Assembly on 24 July 2001,which sought to prevent corruption and promote transparency in Korean society.
In a coordinated effort with other monitoring agencies,also known proverbially as watchdogs,the KICAC is involved in producing policies,orchestrating preventive activities such as institutional improvement and educational programs,works to detect corruption by investigative processes and receiving complaints from the public,and also evaluates the anti-corruption activities of other national,and international,organizations.
The KICAC was integrated into a larger agency entitled the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC),which was formally launched on 29 February 2008. This integration involved not only the KICAC,but also the Ombudsman of Korea and the Administrative Appeals Commission.
Amongst other stimuli,the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis resulted in the bankruptcy of major Korean companies,provoking not only corporation,but also government officials towards corruption. Korean companies received preferential treatment from the government,resulting in poor financial structure,excessive corporate debt,and an enervated competition between businesses both nationally and abroad.
In the aftermath of the financial crisis,the Korean government realized that it must reanimate its economic competitiveness in the global market. In light of such,the government implemented regulatory reforms,improving the transparency of business,and invested great efforts in anti-corruption legislation and practices.
In February 1998,Kim Dae-jung was inaugurated as the President of South Korea. In the following months,the president-elect directed anti-corruption legislation,particularly the protection of whistleblowers and the establishment of investigative bodies that would exercise searches of government offices. However,this development was stunted by various factors,such as rescinding opinions of government authorities.
During the 16th National Assembly,which was formed in May 2000,civic groups came together to form the Citizens' Coalition for Anti-Corruption Legislation in order to file a petition for the legislation of anti-corruption policies during the National Assembly. The public responded favorably to this audacious move by the civic groups,whose subsequent outcome was the passing of the Anti-Corruption Act (ACA) on 28 June 2001. The ACA was roughly sketched,lacking substantive provisions and measures against corruption. It was through the ACA,however,that KICAC was born.
In spite of the KICAC's debut,corruption in South Korea wasn't pointedly affected,raising feelings of doubt and skepticism about the necessity of an anti-corruption agency. Roh Moo Hyun's presidency,however,prioritized the fight against corruption,which led not only to the evolution of the KICAC but other corruption-resisting bodies as well. This positive move towards anti-corruption led to the creation of the Minister-Level Meeting on Corruption (MLMC) in 2004,the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA),along with the issuance of such programs such as the Act on the Election of Public Officials and the Prevention of Election Malpractices and the Korean Pact on Anti-Corruption and Transparency (K-PACT).
The KICAC was integrated into the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) in February 2008 to provide a consolidated service for the public. The ACRC is currently located in the Seodaemoon district of Seoul,South Korea.
The decision-making body of the KICAC consists of nine commissioners:three commissioners recommended by the national assembly,three by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,and three by the president. These commissioners are in office for three year cycles and may be reappointed for additional terms. They are granted full independence while fulfilling their duties as public figures.
As of February 2007,the KICAC employed 210 public servants.
The KICAC engages in nine major functions:
The KICAC guides the Korean government in the elimination of corruption by ensuring its anti-corruption policies are implemented by the government and its agencies. The KICAC also refers cases of corruption,reported by general citizens and by public officials,to the relevant authorities for further action. [1]
The ACRC has a total of 15 commissioners,which include one minister-level chairman,three vice-chairmen,three standing commissioners,and 8 non-standing commissioners. The ACRC has four departments:the Bureau of the Ombudsman,the Bureau of Anti-Corruption,the Bureau of Administrative Appeals,and the Office of Planning and Coordination,which acts as the secretariat.
The ACRC follows three policy directions:
The main functions of the ACRC include:
Police corruption is a form of police misconduct in which law enforcement officers end up breaking their political contract and abusing their power for personal gain. This type of corruption may involve one or a group of officers. Internal police corruption is a challenge to public trust,cohesion of departmental policies,human rights and legal violations involving serious consequences. Police corruption can take many forms,such as:bribery,theft,sexual assault,and discrimination.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption is the statutory independent anti-corruption body of Hong Kong with the primary objective of combating corruption in both the public and private sectors. Established in 1974 and operating independently from the Hong Kong government and law enforcement agencies,the ICAC is headed by the Commissioner,who reports directly to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. The ICAC has played a crucial role in maintaining Hong Kong's reputation as one of the least corrupt places globally and fostering a culture of integrity within the city.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is an integrity agency of the Government of New South Wales responsible for eliminating and investigating corrupt activities and enhancing the integrity of the state's public administration. The commission was established in 1989,pursuant to the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act,1988 (NSW),modeled after the ICAC in Hong Kong.
Corruption in Armenia has decreased significantly in modern times,but remains an ongoing problem in the country. Despite this,fighting corruption following the 2018 Armenian revolution has recorded significant progress. Armenia is a member of the Council of Europe's Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) and the OECD's Anti-Corruption Network and Armenia's anti-corruption measures are regularly evaluated within their monitoring mechanisms.
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission is a Nigerian agency that was inaugurated on 29/9/2000 following the recommendation of President Olusegun Obasanjo. The mandate is to receive and investigate reports of corruption and in appropriate cases prosecute the offender(s),to examine,review and enforce the correction of corruption prone systems and procedures of public bodies,with a view to eliminating corruption in public life,and to educate and enlighten the public on and against corruption and related offences with a view to enlisting and fostering public support for the fight against corruption. The Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000 governs the committee's activities.
The Korean Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) was launched on February 29,2008,by merging three related government entities:the Ombudsman of Korea,the Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Administrative Appeals Commission. The consolidation of these three organizations was intended to provide citizens with a speedier and more convenient service for filing public complaints and administrative appeals,and for thereby fighting corruption.
Corruption in Canada is the use of political power for private gain by Canadian government officials.
Corruption is perceived as a significant problem in Russia,impacting various aspects of life,including the economy,business,public administration,law enforcement,healthcare,and education. The phenomenon of corruption is strongly established in the historical model of public governance,and attributed to general weakness of rule of law in the country. Transparency International stated in 2022,"Corruption is endemic in Russia" and assigned it the lowest score of any European country in their Corruption Perceptions Index for 2021. It has,under the regime of Vladimir Putin,been variously characterized as a kleptocracy,an oligarchy,and a plutocracy;owing to its crony capitalism economic system.
The Philippines suffers from widespread corruption,which developed during the Spanish colonial period. According to GAN Integrity's Philippines Corruption Report updated May 2020,the Philippines suffers from many incidents of corruption and crime in many aspects of civic life and in various sectors. Such corruption risks are rampant throughout the state's judicial system,police service,public services,land administration,and natural resources.
This article discusses the responsibilities of the various agencies involved in combating corruption in New Zealand. New Zealand is regarded as having one of the lowest levels of corruption in the world.
Corruption is rife in Papua New Guinea (PNG). According to The Economist,"PNG's governments are notorious for corruption,and ever run the risk of turning the state into a fully-fledged kleptocracy".
Corruption can take many forms,and can distort how public policy is made or implemented. This article discusses the responsibilities of the various agencies involved in combating corruption in Australia. Australia became a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption in 2005. While Australia is a wealthy democracy,over the decade since 2012,Australia's ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index from Transparency International has slipped from 7th place in 2012 to 14th in 2023,where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. Additionally,there is a public perception that corruption in Australia is increasing. All states have broad-based anti-corruption agencies,and a national anti-corruption commission has been operational since July 2023.
Corruption in Georgia had been an issue in the post-Soviet decades. Before the 2003 Rose Revolution,according to Foreign Policy,Georgia was among the most corrupt nations in Eurasia. The level of corruption abated dramatically,however,after the revolution. In 2010,Transparency International (TI) said that Georgia was "the best corruption-buster in the world." While low-level corruption had earlier been largely eliminated,Transparency International Georgia since 2020 has also documented dozens of cases of high-level corruption that remain to be prosecuted.
Corruption in Uzbekistan is a serious problem. There are laws in place to prevent corruption,but enforcement in terms of laws regarding corruption is very weak. Low prosecution rates of corrupt officials is another contributing factor to the rampant corruption in Uzbekistan. It is not a criminal offense for a non-public official to influence the discretion of a public official. The judicial system faces severe functional deficits due to limited resources and corruption.
Corruption is endemic at every level of Liberian society,making Liberia one of the most politically corrupt nations in the world. As such,corruption is not specifically a punishable crime under Liberian law,which further exacerbates the nature of corruption present in the country. When President Sirleaf took office in 2006,she announced that corruption was “the major public enemy.”
Corruption in Myanmar is among the worst in the world. Owing to failures in regulation and enforcement,corruption flourishes in every sector of government and business. Many foreign businesspeople consider corruption "a serious barrier to investment and trade in Myanmar." A U.N. survey in May 2014 concluded that corruption is the greatest hindrance for business in Myanmar. The ongoing civil war has significantly set back anti-corruption efforts,exacerbating the problem.
Corruption in Bolivia is a major problem that has been called an accepted part of life in the country. It can be found at all levels of Bolivian society. Citizens of the country perceive the judiciary,police and public administration generally as the country's most corrupt. Corruption is also widespread among officials who are supposed to control the illegal drug trade and among those working in and with extractive industries.
Corruption in Ecuador is a serious problem. In 2014,the U.S. Department of State cited Ecuador's corruption as a key human-rights problem. According to Freedom House,"Ecuador has long been racked by corruption",and the weak judicial oversight and investigative resources perpetuate a culture of impunity.
Anti-corruption comprises activities that oppose or inhibit corruption. Just as corruption takes many forms,anti-corruption efforts vary in scope and in strategy. A general distinction between preventive and reactive measures is sometimes drawn. In such framework,investigative authorities and their attempts to unveil corrupt practices would be considered reactive,while education on the negative impact of corruption,or firm-internal compliance programs are classified as the former.