Anti-Corruption Commission Awards Over 1 Billion Won in Compensation to 110 Whistleblowers in Q2

Public Institutions Recover 11.9 Billion KRW Revenue
41% of Reports in Welfare Sector

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced that through the deliberation and resolution of the Compensation Deliberation Committee and the decisions of the Plenary Committee in the second quarter of this year, approximately 1.09 billion KRW in compensation was paid to 110 whistleblowers reporting corruption and public interest violations. The amount recovered by public institutions through these reports reached about 11.9 billion KRW.

According to the Commission, among the 107 cases approved for compensation through the Compensation Deliberation Committee in April and May, the largest portion was in the welfare sector (44 cases, 41%). Employment (29 cases, 27%) and industry (20 cases, 19%) followed.

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The sector with the largest amount of compensation paid was the industry sector, which received about 380 million KRW, accounting for 35% of the total. Employment (about 300 million KRW, 28%), research and development (about 160 million KRW, 15%), and welfare (about 130 million KRW, 12%) followed.

In the industry sector, reports included cases of abuse of trading position and fraudulent receipt of subsidies intended to promote the use of advanced technology.

According to the Commission, whistleblower A reported a foreign company that pressured their employer to stop transactions with a specific other company, engaging in unfair trade practices, and received 88 million KRW in compensation.

In the employment sector, numerous cases of fraudulent receipt related to youth digital job project subsidies, employment retention subsidies, and unemployment benefits were reported.

Whistleblower B reported a company representative who fraudulently received youth digital job project subsidies by falsely hiring part-time or non-working youths, and received 105 million KRW in compensation.

In the research and development sector, cases of embezzlement of technology innovation research and development funds and national research and development project funds were received.

Whistleblower C reported the representative and project manager of a company that embezzled research and development funds by colluding with another company to submit duplicate research project applications for the same content after receiving technology innovation research and development funds, and received 72 million KRW in compensation.

In the welfare sector, many cases of fraudulent receipt of basic living security benefits and single-parent family support funds were reported.

Whistleblower D reported E, who concealed income through a borrowed-name account and registered assets under relatives’ names to fraudulently receive basic living security benefits. D received 20 million KRW in compensation from this report.

Jung Seung-yoon, Vice Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, stated, "The Commission will continue to actively utilize support systems such as compensation and rewards for whistleblowers and strive to promote active reporting."