Assembly to set up anti-corruption panel

The Legislation-Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly on Tuesday agreed to set up a special commission to combat corruption under direct control of the president as part of its action on a basic anti-corruption law.

The legislature would have the right to appoint its members under the proposed law. The claim of the judiciary branch and private advocacy groups to a similar right to name their own representatives on the commission was deferred for future debate.

The committee also agreed to grant the anti-corruption commission a limited right to investigate that would not infringe upon the function of the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), the prosecution and police to conduct probes of their own. The bill empowers the commission to request a review in cases in which investigation by the BAI, the prosecution and police is deemed insufficient.

It also seeks to protect the safety of informants on acts of corruption. The law also obligates government agencies and other public organizations to heed and abide by recommendations to be made by the commission unless the suggestions were to be refuted on convincing grounds.

Kim Jung-Hoon jnghn@donga.com