SEOUL — President Lee Jae-myung declared on Wednesday a stern, uncompromising stance against corruption and illegal financial gains, asserting that South Korea will transform into a thoroughly transparent society where systemic foul play is rendered impossible.
In a message posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on June 3, President Lee shared a recent announcement by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACCRC), which highlighted a record-breaking reward of 2 billion won (approximately $1.45 million USD) paid to a whistleblower who reported a major corruption case.
"From this point forward, we will ensure that it is completely impossible in South Korea to make money through illegal means that inflict harm on others," President Lee emphasized. He added that establishing a fair and transparent playing field—where honest, capable individuals are given rightful opportunities—is the absolute baseline for the nation’s governance.
To dismantle deeply entrenched corrupt practices, President Lee highly publicized the government’s lucrative whistleblower reward system, which applies to individuals, corporations, and public institutions alike. Under current guidelines, those who report corruption or illicit financial activities can receive 20% to 30% of the recovered funds as a financial reward.
The incentives are even more staggering for exposing corporate malfeasance, such as price-fixing and market monopolies. "If you blow the whistle on corporate collusion designed to artificially inflate prices, the government will issue rewards reaching into the hundreds of billions of won," the President explained.
To illustrate the scale of these rewards, President Lee cited a prominent case involving a 700-billion-won fine imposed on a flour price-fixing cartel. "Had an executive or employee from the involved companies—even one who was directly implicated in the collusion—stepped forward to report it, they could have legally received a whistleblower reward of up to 200 billion won ($145 million USD)," he noted, encouraging insiders to break their silence.
Turning his focus to the broader economic and geopolitical future of the country, President Lee outlined a grand transition for South Korea. He noted that the nation is rapidly shedding its old reputation as a speculative real estate-driven economy, successfully pivoting toward becoming a "premium financial hub."
"Driven by the profound strength of our great citizens, South Korea must now transcend its status as a fast follower and an advanced nation to become an irreplaceable, indispensable core country on the global stage," President Lee stated with confidence.
However, the President stressed that achieving this ambitious national milestone depends heavily on civic engagement and political responsibility. He concluded his message with a direct appeal to the electorate, emphasizing the power of the ballot box. "We are fully capable of reaching this goal, and we are already on our way—provided that our citizens never give up on voting and remain diligent in electing competent, faithful public servants who truly work for the people."
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