Prime Minister Han Submits Only Two Lines Detailing Kim & Chang Advisory Role
Criticism Arises Over Lack of Detail Under Conflict of Interest Prevention Law
Anti-Corruption Commission to Establish Guidelines for Next Week's Activity Reports
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is presiding over the 42nd International Development Cooperation Committee held at the Government Seoul Office Annex in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 30th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who worked as an advisor at Kim & Chang until just before his inauguration, has come under scrutiny from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) for reporting his activities to the Office for Government Policy Coordination in a minimalistic manner.
According to the Office for Government Policy Coordination and the office of Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Byung-wook on the 3rd, Prime Minister Han submitted a "Private Sector Work Activity Report" to the Office for Government Policy Coordination's Legal Audit Division on the 20th of last month.
In this report, which was a single A4 page, under the section "Deputy, Advisor, Consultant, etc.," Han detailed his work at Kim & Chang from December 2017 to March of this year, spanning 4 years and 3 months. During his time as an advisor at Kim & Chang, Han received approximately 2 billion KRW.
The described activities included ▲ research and analysis of the international trade environment and major countries' trade policies, and advising affiliated lawyers ▲ analysis of domestic economic policy directions in response to economic changes in major countries, and advising affiliated lawyers. The report did not include specifics such as which cases he provided opinions on or what cooperative activities he engaged in.
His role as an outside director at S-Oil from March last year to March this year was also described only as "attending board meetings and reviewing and analyzing agenda items."
The ACRC, the main agency responsible for the Public Officials Conflict of Interest Prevention Act, views Han's submission as lacking sincerity. The Conflict of Interest Prevention Act, which came into effect on the 19th of last month, requires high-ranking officials who have worked in the private sector within the past three years to report within 30 days of their appointment.
After the contents of the work activity report were made public, ACRC Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee stated, "The Prime Minister, who should set the best example, submitted insufficient materials," and ordered staff to devise improvement measures.
High-ranking officials must report within 14 days if a corporation to which they provided advisory or consulting services within two years prior to appointment is related to their current duties, and must refrain from related duties. The ACRC explained that to verify whether Prime Minister Han complied with these regulations, it is necessary to indirectly understand the nature of his work at Kim & Chang.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Secretariat said, "Han did not work as a lawyer on specific cases at Kim & Chang, and legal representation and advisory work are clearly different."
Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission is giving a briefing on the "Top 10 Best Cases of System Improvements That Changed the Daily Lives of the People" at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
The ACRC plans to create guidelines for high-ranking officials on how to prepare private sector work activity reports and distribute them to relevant agencies as early as this week. The guidelines are expected to emphasize the difference between the "submission" and "disclosure" standards under the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act and instruct officials to accurately describe their activities in accordance with the law's intent.
Han's advisory activities at Kim & Chang have been criticized for potential conflicts of interest since his confirmation hearings. At that time, Han only explained his work at Kim & Chang by stating that he attended four meetings, including the "Hong Kong Roundtable in May 2019," drawing criticism from opposition hearing committee members for providing insufficient answers.
On the 21st of last month (local time), after attending the General Assembly of the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE) in Paris, France, Han said at a press conference, "(The submission of work details) will be done as stipulated by law," but added, "Whether what is stipulated by law is sufficient from the media's perspective is a point of argument for the media."
Some view the conflict between Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee, who was appointed by the previous administration, and the current government as having an influence. Since the 13th of last month, Jeon has been notified that she is "not a participant in Cabinet meetings" and has been unable to attend. The ruling party is demanding her resignation.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
