Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) attended the Board of Directors’ meeting of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) in her capacity as the Asian regional director, which was held on May 9 in Vienna, Austria, and engaged in discussions on major issues.

※ International Ombudsman Institute (IOI): A non-profit organization established in 1978 with 232 members from 125 countries, which aims to develop the system of ombudsman* and foster exchanges and cooperation among the ombudsmen worldwide. The Institute’s General Secretariat and Executive Committee are located in Vienna, Austria. The General Assembly and Board of Directors’ meeting are held on a four-year cycle and an annual basis, respectively.

* Ombudsman: the term refers to a mediator, arbitrator, and observer in Swedish, originating from the establishment of the Ombudsman in Sweden in 1809, which oversees legal compliance by the Judiciary and public officials from the Executive branch as representatives of the Parliament.

23 directors (ombudsmen) from 6 regions—Africa, Asia, Australasia, the Caribbean and Latin America, Europe, and North America—attended the meeting and engaged in discussions on a wide range of agenda items.

The major agenda items included ▴assessment of membership applications, ▴financial matters, including the Audit Report 2021/2022 and external audit for 2023/2024, ▴regional subsidies 2023/2024 and IOI crisis fund, and ▴By-laws reform with regard to the loss of membership, membership applications, and decision without meeting.

An ACRC Official said, “ACRC will make every effort to enhance the accountability of the government and public officials to the citizens and earn the trust of the people by actively serving as the Ombudsman in Korea, protecting the rights and interests of the people. Moreover, the Commission will provide guidance for the advancement of Asian and international ombudsmen and take the lead in the international community by fostering cooperation and sharing experiences of the Korean Ombudsman with other members of the IOI.”