Anti-corruption chief says probe into election commission's no-bid contracts is under way, but options are limited

Jeong Il-yeon, chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, said Tuesday that her agency is investigating allegations that the National Election Commission awarded a large number of contracts without competitive bidding, but acknowledged that there is little else the commission can do for the time being.

Speaking at a press briefing Tuesday, Jeong said the ACRC can conduct a fact-finding investigation when a complaint is filed, but added that the probe faces inherent limits because the election commission is a constitutional body. She was responding to a question suggesting that the election commission situation amounted to an infringement on the rights of the people.

Earlier, People Power Party lawmaker Ju Jin-woo submitted a corruption complaint to the ACRC last month, citing the election commission's high rate of sole-source contracts and their concentration among specific vendors.

On strengthening the ACRC's investigative authority, Jeong said a bill containing provisions to impose fines on agencies that refuse to submit materials — and granting the power to investigate those reported — passed the Cabinet meeting the previous day and has been sent to the National Assembly. She added that while broader investigative powers would be welcome, public consensus must first be built.

On the need to revise the Anti-Graft Act, which marks its 10th year in force, Jeong said the commission has been gathering opinions and conducting research amid public concerns that some provisions no longer align with prevailing social norms. "Once the review is complete, the time to make an announcement will come," she said.

Regarding misconduct in the public sector — brought back into the spotlight by the death of a firefighter in Gwangju — Jeong called the incident "shocking and incomprehensible" and said she is determined to root out such problems through institutional measures.

On the ACRC's future policy direction, Jeong said the commission will strengthen the pan-government civil complaint response system by implementing its roadmaps for expanded public communication and for handling collective and unusual complaints. She also announced plans to introduce free legal consultation services through court-appointed representatives in administrative appeals to support the economically and socially vulnerable.

She added that the commission will prioritize deploying a mobile public grievance service to rural areas and underserved communities to advance the goal of protecting everyone's rights. The commission also plans to revise relevant laws to handle whistleblower cases at a level that meets public expectations, and will review consolidating whistleblower reward systems, abolishing the cap on reward payments, and establishing a framework law on whistleblower compensation, she said.