Anti-Corruption Commission: "This Year, 5 Billion Won Rewarded to Whistleblowers and 68 Billion Won Recovered"

Research and Development Fund Fraud and Illegal Subcontracting Issues

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Over 200 million won in rewards have been paid to individuals who reported corruption and public interest violations such as fraudulent claims for research and development expenses and illegal subcontracting in construction projects.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) announced on the 30th that it paid a total of 212.67 million won to 26 whistleblowers who reported corruption and public interest violations.

Among the major corruption cases reported to the ACRC was an incident where a company issued duplicate transaction statements and deceived by pretending to have newly developed a product that was already developed, thereby embezzling research and development funds. The whistleblower received a reward of 40.02 million won.

A person who reported a company that manipulated attendance records to claim subsidies despite the education participants not attending classes was awarded 23.98 million won.

A whistleblower who reported a company that fraudulently received job stabilization subsidies by pretending to have newly hired employees who did not actually work was given a reward of 17.11 million won.

Among major public interest reports, a person who reported a construction company that violated subcontracting restrictions by illegally subcontracting was awarded 13.54 million won.

A whistleblower who reported a contract officer soldier accepting money and gifts from a related company received a reward of 5 million won.

A person who reported an internal member of a public institution’s training center for privately using convenience facilities within the center was awarded 5 million won.

The ACRC stated that it paid a total of 5.01868 billion won in rewards and other compensations for 416 cases of corruption and public interest reports this year.

The ACRC also revealed that the revenue recovered by public institutions as a result of these reports amounted to approximately 68.03 billion won.

An ACRC official said, "We will continue to actively provide rewards and other compensations to whistleblowers to encourage active reporting."