Jeon Hyun-hee, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party, criticized the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) during a national audit on October 12, highlighting the issue of retirees rejoining major law firms and the management of external contacts. She called for effective reforms to prevent favoritism and conflicts of interest.
According to Jeon, of the 23 FTC retirees who rejoined the workforce from 2023 to 2026, 10, or 43.5%, found positions at major law firms. Additionally, in the first half of 2026, five out of seven re-employed individuals (71.4%) also moved to large law firms.
All 10 retirees who rejoined major law firms from 2023 to 2026 were identified as practical staff below level 4, with six of them coming from departments that investigate unfair corporate practices and handle cases.
Jeon emphasized, "The issue is not that retirees utilize their expertise in the private sector, but whether former employees who directly investigated cases may improperly leverage confidential information or personal networks when they take on roles related to investigations and sanctions against relevant companies after leaving the FTC."
She also pointed out that in the past three years, the FTC has faced losses or partial losses in administrative lawsuits amounting to 59.9 billion won, with 59.4 billion won stemming from cases represented by major law firms. Jeon stressed the need to examine the relationship between the representation of cases by large law firms and the work of retirees, as well as the effectiveness of conflict of interest prevention measures.
Furthermore, Jeon revealed that 27 FTC employees were found to have failed to report contacts with external parties over the past three years, with 13 receiving disciplinary actions in 2025 alone.
During the session, Jeon questioned FTC Chairman Joo Byeong-ki about the measures taken to prevent favoritism and the management of re-employment for practical staff from investigative departments. She demanded a review of whether contacts between retirees and current employees regarding cases are being properly reported and recorded.
She concluded, "The key is not the existence of the system itself, but whether it effectively prevents undue influence and conflicts of interest. Comprehensive checks on compliance with restrictions on the work of retirees from investigative departments and the management of contacts with current employees are essential for developing effective improvement measures."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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