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□ The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (hereinafter the “CIO,” Director-General Kim Jin-wook) and the Anti-corruption and Civil Rights Commission (hereinafter the “ACRC,” Chairman Jeon Hyun-heui) signed an MOU on February 8, 2022 in the CIO’s main conference room in the presence of Director-General Kim and Chairman Jeon and agreed to increase mutual cooperation in creating a clean public sector and protecting and supporting whistleblowers

ㅇ This MOU was signed so that the two organizations 1) can collaborate in systematically protecting and supporting whistleblowers who report crimes to prevent corruption in the public sector and 2) take part in the ACRC’s  anti-corruption activities

ㅇ The CIO and the ACRC will collaborate in▴ protecting and supporting whistleblowers ▴improving the system to prevent the violation of the rights and interests of whistleblowers ▴providing rewards for whistleblowing or economic relief ▴ investigating and handling reports on corruption among high-ranking officials ▴offering training courses on anti-corruption measures, such as implementation of the Act on the Prevention of Conflict of Interest Related to Duties of Public Servants, ▴investigating and handling complaints and grievances filed in relation to investigations and ▴ offering training courses on the prevention of corruption and conflict of interest going forward

ㅇ In particular, the two organizations will focus on the protection of the rights of whistle blowers, system improvement to enhance integrity, personal exchanges, joint training, etc.

□  The CIO established a new reward system for whistle blowers this year and plans to implement the various measures recommended by the ACRC while strictly protecting the identity of whistle blowers during the complaint filing stage and investigation stage

□ Chairman Jeon Hyun-heui gave a special lecture on the purpose of enactment of the Act on the Prevention of Conflict of Interest Related to Duties of Public Servants, which will go into effect in May of this year, and its main content to the executives and employees of the CIO after the MOU was signed, and then she stated, “Whistle blowers play a crucial role in effectively detecting crimes committed by high-ranking officials and increasing transparency in the public sector, and thus, it is necessary to offer thorough protection and support for whistle blowers.”

□ Director-General Kim Jin-wook of the CIO stated, “Today”s MOU signed by the two organizations will be of great help in protecting and supporting whistle blowers in investigations into crimes committed by high-ranking officials,” and expressed his wish to “continue to increase cooperative relations between the two organizations to secure integrity and transparency in the public sector and strengthen government agencies” anti-corruption capacity.”