Compensation of 820 Million KRW Paid to Whistleblowers on Corruption and Public Interest in Q1 This Year

Public Institution Revenue Recovery Amount Reaches 7 Billion KRW

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced on the 23rd that it paid approximately 820 million KRW in rewards to 68 whistleblowers reporting corruption and public interest violations in the first quarter of this year, and that the amount of revenue recovered by public institutions reached about 7 billion KRW.

Jung Seung-yoon, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The fields with the largest shares were welfare (34%), employment (31%), research and development (69%), and industry (9%) in that order. In the welfare sector, there were many cases of fraudulent receipt of subsidies for daycare centers, basic livelihood security benefits, and single-parent family support funds. Mr. A reported a daycare center director who fraudulently received personnel expenses by falsely registering daycare teachers, and teachers who deceived by pretending to have worked more than 8 hours despite leaving early every day. As a result of this report, about 280 million KRW in subsidies was recovered, and the Commission paid about 47 million KRW as rewards.

In the employment sector, there were cases of fraudulent receipt of employment retention subsidies, work-life balance jobs and youth additional employment incentives, and unemployment benefits. Mr. B reported a company and its representative who fraudulently received employment retention subsidies by applying to the Ministry of Employment and Labor for the subsidy citing business suspension due to poor management, but instructing employees to work on suspension days. As a result of this report, about 230 million KRW in subsidies and additional collections were recovered, and the Commission paid about 70 million KRW as rewards.

In the research and development sector, there were cases of fraudulent receipt of new product technology development project funds, embezzlement of national research and development project funds, and fraudulent receipt of content production support project funds. Mr. C reported a company representative and project manager who deceived by submitting a business plan claiming to develop a new product despite already having completed development, thereby being selected for the technology development project and embezzling research and development funds. As a result of this report, about 480 million KRW in government grants was recovered, and the Commission paid about 105 million KRW as rewards.

In the medical sector, there were violations of the Medical Service Act such as pharmaceutical companies providing rebates, unqualified persons performing laser treatments, and brokers introducing patients and receiving commissions. Mr. D reported a pharmaceutical company that provided illegal rebates in the form of cash, goods, and entertainment to medical personnel and healthcare workers at hospitals, clinics, and public health centers nationwide. The company was fined 500 million KRW in penalties, and the Commission paid about 60 million KRW as rewards.

Jung Seung-yoon, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, said, “Thanks to the active reports from the public, we were able to detect corrupt acts and public interest violations occurring in various sectors of society and recover national revenue amounting to 7 billion KRW. We will continue to actively operate the reward system for corruption and public interest reporting for the whistleblowers who showed courage.”