South Korea has drafted legislation aimed at preventing conflicts of interest involving high-profile public figures.
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission on Friday issued advance notice of a draft bill that categorizes and bans possible situations of conflict of interest by high-ranking public officials, including those authorized to give permission, hire, promote, investigate, audit and judge. Such officials will be required to report in advance and ask to be excluded from exercising their authority over anyone who can influence their jobs.
The restrictions will be imposed on vice minister-level officials or higher, lawmakers and the heads of regional governments and public organizations. Those newly appointed or voted to such high posts will also be required to submit their detailed activities in the private sector in the previous three years.
The bill also bars family members of these figures from being hired at the same workplaces as them unless through open-bid recruitment processes.
The bill will be reviewed by the Ministry of Government Legislation and the Cabinet before being submitted to the National Assembly.