[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Son Seon-hee] The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced on the 6th that it has provided detailed guidelines on private sector activity disclosures for high-ranking public officials and elected officials of the 8th local government appointed by the new administration. This follows a controversy where Prime Minister Han Duck-soo received about 2 billion KRW in fees as an advisor at Kim & Chang, the largest law firm in Korea, but submitted related details in a careless manner with just "two lines."
On this day, the Commission stated that it has prepared and distributed detailed guidelines to various agencies to effectively respond to institutional interpretation demands and to ensure that high-ranking public officials and elected officials of the 8th local government appointed by the new administration fulfill their obligations in accordance with the purpose of the conflict of interest prevention system.
The main contents of the guidelines include ▲high-ranking public officials must submit specific details of the duties they were responsible for at the corporations or organizations where they served ▲high-ranking public officials must disclose all parties to whom they provided representation, advisory, or consulting services either individually or as part of a corporation ▲high-ranking public officials must specify the period, duties, and other details of any business operations or profit-making activities conducted before appointment ▲public institutions should actively disclose information about the corporations or organizations where high-ranking public officials served, as well as the businesses or profit-making activities they managed or operated ▲and consent to cooperate with data requests in cases of conflict of interest.
High-ranking public officials must submit specific details of the duties they were responsible for at the corporations or organizations where they served, regardless of position or rank, unless it was a private social or friendship group. For example, if they held a party position, they must submit the period of activity, position, and duties.
Additionally, if a high-ranking public official provided representation, advisory, or consulting services as an individual or as part of a corporation, they must disclose all recipients of such services. However, if they were affiliated with a corporation, they do not need to disclose matters in which they were not substantively involved.
Furthermore, if a high-ranking public official managed or operated a business or engaged in profit-making activities before appointment, they must submit specific details such as the period of management or operation, position or rank, and duties.
Moreover, the Commission has guided public institutions to actively disclose the submitted information within the bounds of the law. The purpose is to strengthen the public’s monitoring and oversight functions through transparent disclosure of related information, thereby more effectively preventing and managing conflicts of interest related to the private sector careers of high-ranking public officials.
In particular, the Commission requested that even if related information has already been submitted, it should be supplemented by referring to these detailed guidelines. Accordingly, Prime Minister Han is also expected to supplement his previously submitted "two-line" disclosure.
Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission said, "High-ranking public officials have broad authority, which increases the likelihood of conflicts of interest, and require a high level of integrity. Therefore, they need to take the lead in fulfilling their reporting and submission obligations under the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act."
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