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President Moon Jae-in presides over the first Anti-Corruption Policy Consultation Council at Cheong Wa Dae on Sept. 26.

By Jeon Han and Lee Hana
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

President Moon Jae-in presided over the nation’s first Anti-Corruption Policy Consultation Council at Cheong Wa Dae on Sept. 26.

The council was convened in line with the new administration’s initiative to “make Korea a nation of integrity through anti-corruption reforms,” the administration stated.

“Corruption eventually leads to the loss of everything. Throughout history, we have seen authorities, economies and even national security lose their strength and crumble due to corruption,” said President Moon.

“This administration was made possible by the power of the people, who took to the streets to hold candlelight vigils in support of democracy. No one can take away the power of the people. It is our mission, therefore, to eradicate corruption from our society in favor of righteousness and justice,” he stressed.

“Moving forward, eradicating corruption will be the starting point of all government policies. The Anti-Corruption Policy Consultation Council, convened today for the first time, will serve as the central engine that liquidates corruption, upholds justice and increases transparency across all tiers of society,” said the president.

Furthermore, the president asked that the Anti-Corruption Policy Consultation Council, encompassing all government bodies related to anti-corruption policies, should not only combat graft and corruption, but also create legislation that paves the road for anti-corruption reforms.

“I ask that the council start its mission by targeting political corruption. There can be no exception to the rule when it comes to eliminating corruption. Neither my Moon administration nor Cheong Wa Dae are exempt from this,” said the president.

“Keeping Cheong Wa Dae free from corruption and leading by example is the first step in creating a just system for our country. Please keep this in mind as you enforce the necessary regulations,” he said.

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President Moon Jae-in stresses the need to eliminate corruption at all levels of society during the first Anti-Corruption Policy Consultation Council, at Cheong Wa Dae on Sept. 26.

The inaugural council meeting was attended by Chairman Pak Un Jong of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC), Chairman Kim Sang-jo of the Fair Trade Commission, Minister of Justice Park Sang-ki, and Minister of National Defense Song Young-moo.

Chairman Pak of the ACRC briefed the president on the anti-corruption strategies of the new administration.

“Our government’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has been dropping or stagnant since 2008. Meanwhile, Korea’s business ethics rankings fell from 27th to 98th place last year. To overcome this, the ACRC will pursue government-wide anti-corruption policies that monitor corruption in both the private and public sectors, in close cooperation with government bodies and civil society. Our goal is to set up a government-wide preventative anti-corruption system to place in the CPI’s top 20 countries on average, and to receive an OECD score of no less than 60 by the year 2022,” she said.

hanjeon@korea.kr