Listening to the Opinions of Experts from Legal and Academic Circles on the “Integration of Administrative Appeals”

- Launch of the Administrative Appeals Integration Advisory Council, offering consultation on the scale and direction of the integration and various issues -

(October 11 2023, ACRC)

Opinions of experts from legal and academic circles will be heard regarding the ways to integrate 123 administrative appeals agencies to ensure that citizens can utilize the administrative appeals services more conveniently and efficiently.

On October 11, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Kim Hong-Il) launched “Administrative Appeals Integration Advisory Council,” consisting of experts from legal and academic circles, at the Government Complex Seoul.

The council is organized into six divisions, including ▴general management, ▴taxation, ▴rewards and insurance, ▴labor, ▴land, and ▴personnel. Council members of each division will provide expert consultations on the scale and direction of the integration of administrative appeals and various issues.

Administrative appeal is an institution through which citizens whose rights and interests have been violated due to illegal and unreasonable dispositions seek assistance from administrative agencies before filing a lawsuit with the court. This institution offers advantages, such as simple procedures, handling, and being cost-free.

However, citizens face challenges regarding where and by when they should file administrative appeals since there are 57 general administrative appeals agencies* and 66 special administrative appeals agencies**, each with distinct competent authorities and procedures.

*Established under the Administrative Appeals Act, such as Central Administrative Appeals

Commission, Municipal and Provincial Administrative Appeals Commission, etc.

**Established under individual laws rather than the Administrative Appeals Act, such as Tax Tribunal, Appeals Committee, etc.

In addition, there have been inefficiencies within government operations, such as organizational overlaps and personnel redundancies, due to the establishment and functioning of multiple administrative appeals agencies.

Previously, ACRC conducted a survey on the integration of 123 administrative appeals agencies through the People’s Idea Box from July 24 to August 6. According to the survey result, 3,486 out of 4,424 respondents (78.8%) supported the integration of administrative appeals.

In light of this, ACRC will devise measures to integrate administrative appeals by December of this year in order to ensure that the rights of citizens are protected in a more convenient and efficient manner.

ACRC Chairperson Kim Hong-Il said, “I express my deepest gratitude to the council members for their collaborative efforts in devising methods to integrate administrative appeals that citizens can recognize and relate to. We will actively support the activities of the council members.”