By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter

The government and the ruling party on Wednesday agreed to give an envisioned anti-corruption agency not only the right to investigate senior government officials and politicians but also the power to indict them.

During a consultative meeting, the two sides agreed that incumbent prosecutors will be sent to the special investigative agency in order to bring charges to those who are suspected of corruption. This format will likely ease prosecutors’ concern that the new agency will encroach upon their unique right to prosecute criminal acts, clearing away one of major hurdles blocking the early establishment of the agency that is aimed at fighting corruption among public servants.

In addition, it was agreed that a reward of up to 2 billion won will be given to persons who report corruption in government agencies and offices to the authorities.

Under the revised bill for the anti-corruption act to be sent to the National Assembly for approval, retaliatory acts against whistleblowers by organizations or employers will be subject to criminal prosecution.

``We will submit a revised anti-corruption bill in the National Assembly this fall to raise the maximum reward for whistleblowers by 10 times to 2 billion won ($1.7 million),’’ said Lee Nam-joo, chairman of Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption (KICAC)., in the meeting. The current ceiling on the reward is set at 200 million won.

In addition to the sizable reward, whistleblowers will receive an additional sum if their reporting is recognized as ``meritorious service’’ by the government.

Within the current legal framework, whistleblowers have little protection from retaliation by accused parties because the commission can only recommend, and not insist, that relevant government agencies take disciplinary action, Lee explained.

The commission asked the Uri Party to help revise the law so it would have the right to investigate corruption allegations.

``As we have no right to investigate, the number of corruption cases reported is on the decline,’’ the chairman said, adding that 137 cases were reported in 2002, 113 cases in 2003 and only 35 cases until June this year.

KICAC, launched in 2002 to deal with the irregularities of public officials, is trying to tackle corruption by establishing preventive measures.

The commission chairman stressed the need to revise the current Anti-Corruption Act in order to combat widespread corruption more actively and efficiently.

Uri Party officials, however, left the bill open to further changes. ``Our party has not given the go-ahead to the revision bill, as requested by KICA,’’ director of public affairs in the party, Cho Ki-hyun said.

Cho noted the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee would review it soon.

yoonwonsup@koreatimes.co.kr