Abusing Administrative Appeals to Harass Public Officials... Criminal Complaints and Claims for Damages

Strengthening Response to Malicious and Complaining Claims

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission's Central Administrative Appeals Committee announced on the 13th that it will take strong measures such as criminal complaints and claims for damages against those who abuse the administrative appeals system to obstruct official duties.

The Central Administrative Appeals Committee dismissed an administrative appeal filed again by Mr. A, who had submitted over 120 administrative appeals to a public institution over two and a half years, against the same institution. Mr. A became dissatisfied with the closure of complaints by Institution B and others, started filing information disclosure requests, and filed administrative appeals whenever his requests were denied.

The Central Administrative Appeals Committee confirmed that Mr. A repeatedly filed information disclosure requests by changing only the target period to harass the officials in charge at Institution B without intending to use the results of the requests, and split the requests by item to file separate administrative appeals. The committee judged that Mr. A’s information disclosure requests constituted an abuse of rights that deviated from the original purpose of the Information Disclosure Act, which is to guarantee the public’s right to know and transparency in government administration.

In March, the Central Administrative Appeals Committee filed a criminal complaint against Mr. C, who submitted about 10,000 administrative appeals over three years, mostly containing insults and slanders against specific individuals. Approximately 72 million KRW of public funds were wasted on registered mail and return fees, and claims for damages will be pursued.

Chairman Park Jong-min of the Central Administrative Appeals Committee said, “The victims of malicious appellants are not only public institutions but ultimately ordinary citizens who legitimately file administrative appeals,” adding, “We will continue to respond more strictly to prevent those urgently seeking remedies from being harmed by such individuals.”