The concept of an ombudsman existed in China going back to about 200 B.C., where the king would designate an undercover official to monitor actions of government officials. The word “ombudsman” is Swedish and generally means “representative” or “proxy” referring to the office’s role in providing oversight over government officials’ actions to address any wrongdoing for the good of the public citizens. Modern use of the term “ombudsman” began in 1809 by Sweden in establishing the Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman as an independent agency of the executive branch to ensure that civil servants acted within the laws and within their duties.