The ACRC will expand channels through Asia, first with Indonesia
Chairman Lee leaves the country for cooperative projects

It is expected that Koreans will be able to resolve difficulties and concerns related with Indonesian administrative organizations much easier because the Indonesian ombudsman will notify the result in the middle of the process. People can apply for the same through the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) of Korea. Indonesians living in Korea can enjoy the same benefits, too. The ACRC will extend cooperative projects for anti-corruption and integrity activities with its counterparts in Vietnam and Mongolia.

Chairman Lee Jae Oh of the ACRC leaves the country for seven days on January 31 to promote cooperative projects with Indonesia, Vietnam and Mongolia and sign the Memorandum of Understanding.

The ACRC is expected to sign the MOU on enhancing rights and interests of people living overseas and resolving complaints

Chairman Lee Jae Oh will visit Indonesia for three days from January 31 to February 2 to carry out diplomatic activities for mutual cooperation on enhancing rights and interests of people living overseas and expanding support for anti-corruption technologies.

On February 1, Chairman Lee will visit the Indonesia ombudsman, which plays the role of the ACRC of Korea, and sign "the MOU between the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea and the Ombudsman of Indonesia on Mutual Cooperation for Enhancing Rights and Interests of People Living Overseas and Resolving Complaints."

The MOU will include measures to resolve actively difficulties and concerns that people (and companies) living in respective countries are suffering and to establish the mutual cooperative system for enhancing rights and interests.

In detail, both countries will notify the result to the petitioner when he or she files civil appeals to the administrative organizations, and will receive civil petitions from people living in other country to submit to the relevant authorities via post or e-mail.

In addition, public officials will visit companies, workers or multi-culture families, if necessary to protect people living in the country and provide services to consult and resolve their concerns. Services will be extended so that people can file petitions and receive the result in their language.

It is the first time in the world to make efforts to protect and increase people's rights and interests and business activities through mutual cooperation between ombudsmen of two countries. Once the MOU is signed, Koreans and businessmen living in Indonesia will be able to resolve their complaints much easier.

In addition, petitions can be filed in Indonesian language as well in the Internet through e-People (www.epeople.go.kr), where English, Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese are available. Currently, around 32,000 Koreans, including around 1,300 companies, are living in Indonesia while around 30,000 Indonesians are living in Korea.

The ACRC will increase the number of countries in Asia to sign the MOU to enhance people's rights and interests and resolve their concerns as part of efforts to expand its function to protect rights and interests of Koreans living overseas.

On the evening of February 1, Chairman Lee Jae Oh also explains businessmen living in Indonesia details of measures to resolve difficulties and concerns as a result of cooperative projects between Indonesia and Korea, and holds the hearing session with Koreans living in Indonesia to listen to their difficulties and concerns. On the following day, he will visit the Corruption Eradication Commission (CEC) to discuss measures to expand support for the project to grow anti-corruption technologies that has been pushed forward since 2007.

MOU will be signed with Vietnam and Mongolia

Chairman Lee Jae Oh plans to sign the MOU with the Anti-Corruption Mediation Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Corruption that includes efforts for mutual cooperation when he visits the country for two days from February 3.

Once the MOU is signed, the two countries are expected to make joint efforts for the next three years to improve strategies and policies against corruption, develop necessary systems and exchange information.

Chairman Lee Jae Oh will visit Mongolia on February 5 to sign the MOU with the Mongolian Anti-Corruption Commission on cooperation for anti-corruption activities, and will return to Korea on the next day.