The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Homeless women struggle to find place to spend night

  • 3

    More than dozen chaebol scions indicted on alleged drug use

  • 5

    People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions

  • 7

    Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film

  • 9

    Life prisoner sentenced to death for beating inmate to death

  • 11

    Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E'

  • 13

    Korea's childbirths hit record low in Nov.

  • 15

    Korea's GDP shrinks 0.4% in Q4, 1st contraction in 10 quarters

  • 17

    S. Korea to increase joint air defense exercises following N. Korean drone incursions

  • 19

    VIDEODo Koreans know K-pop idols well?

  • 2

    Koreans stunned by spike in heating costs

  • 4

    Heavy snow hits Seoul, surrounding areas

  • 6

    Netflix series 'The Glory' draws focus to real school bullying

  • 8

    Inflation weighs on households

  • 10

    'I was a stock investment addict': psychiatrist seeks to help addicted people through his book

  • 12

    INTERVIEWPartnerships with Korean companies help Delta Air Lines' post-pandemic recovery

  • 14

    PHOTOSAnother day of heavy snowfall in Korea

  • 16

    Gov't to double subsidies for vulnerable households as energy bills soar

  • 18

    Renaissance aesthetics meets surreal fantasy in Park Min-joon's oil paintings

  • 20

    Gov't seeks to limit where child sex offenders can reside

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, January 28, 2023 | 03:06
-------------------------
Kim Young-ran act needs revision
Posted : 2016-07-19 16:46
Updated : 2016-08-01 16:53
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Controversy escalating over fairness, vagueness

This is the first in a three-part series on the controversy over an anti-graft bill scheduled to take effect on Sept 28. ― ED.

By Kim Bo-eun

Just two months before the implementation of the so-called Kim Young-ran Act, disputes are increasing over the controversial anti-graft law and calls are mounting for it to be amended.

The act, which was passed by the National Assembly in March last year, will go into effect on Sept 28. Named after former Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) chief Kim who first proposed it, the act is aimed at stemming corruption in the public sector.

However, many experts and some lawmakers are calling for amendments, raising questions about its fairness and ambiguous clauses that could be interpreted arbitrarily.

Unlike the initial plan, the act later included teachers working for private schools and journalists. Fueling the controversy is the fact that lawmakers, who passed the act and were supposed to be its targets, partly excluded themselves.

The inclusion of private school teachers and journalists has expanded those subject to it to 2.4 million. Including their spouses, the number is estimated to reach 4 million.

That has also caused controversy over equality: for example, doctors at Severance Hospital would be subject to the regulation because they belong to the Yonsei school foundation, while those at Samsung Medical Center would not because the center is run by Samsung's public utility foundation.

A group of lawmakers from the ruling Saenuri Party submitted revisions earlier this month to exclude teachers and journalists.

"If the work of private school employees and journalists is considered to be for the public, then lawyers, doctors and civic groups must also be included," said Rep. Kang Hyo-sang.

Another troubling aspect is the vagueness of the act.

It bans those subject to the regulation from being treated to a meal that costs more than 30,000 won ($26), from receiving gifts priced over 50,000 won, and receiving congratulatory and condolence money over 100,000 won for weddings and funerals.

Due to the absence of further details, critics say there would be possible scenarios which can be interpreted arbitrarily.

For example, it is not clear whether a gift worth 70,000 won bought at a discounted rate of 49,000 would be acceptable.

Also at a dinner between a company official and a public worker, if the former has a 10,000 won entre and the latter has one that costs 48,000 won, the civil servant is treated to a meal costing more 30,000 won. But if the law calculates the amount by dividing the total amount by the number of participants, the per capita food cost is 29,000 won and the public servant is safe.

The law also prohibits receiving a single gift of 1 million won and a total of 3 million won in a year, whether the gifts are provided with particular intentions related to the receiver's work or not.

However, there is no clear definition of what "work-related" means.

Right after the act was passed, the Korean Bar Association (KBA) filed a constitutional appeal, outlining the troubling causes.

The Constitutional Court is yet to make a ruling as to whether the inclusion of private school teachers and journalists in the act is unconstitutional.

The act was first proposed after a case in 2011, in which a prosecutor was indicted for receiving a Mercedes Benz but ended up being acquitted because the court was unable to find that the gift was provided in exchange for work-related favors.

It was submitted in August 2013, but lawmakers began to pass it only after the Sewol ferry disaster in April 2014, as corruption among public officials was raised as one of the factors behind the incident. Also, the passage came within a year.

"The act was hastily passed without sufficient preparation by lawmakers who were eager to show they had done something," said Kang Sin-eop, public information director of the KBA.

"We believe an anti-graft bill is necessary, but this act needs much revision. Realistically, however, it will be difficult for the revisions to be made before it goes into effect," he said.

Meanwhile, others point out the limits of attempting to deter corruption through regulations.

The anti-graft law is not the first of its kind. Similar regulations existed prior to the law, including the public servants' code of conduct, the abolition of "secretive funds" at companies and a system requiring companies to record the names of people who are treated to meals or entertainment worth over 500,000 won.

However, all of these measures failed, as those subject to the regulations resorted to expedients, such as using false names and splitting bills.

"Punishment can serve as a short-term measure, but for a long-term effect, education and promotion through campaigns must be emphasized," said Kim Young-chul, president of the Korean Association for Anti-Corruption Policy Studies.

Emailbkim@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions
2SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia
3More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality
4Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities
5Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula
6Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term
7KT&G aims to become global top-tier company KT&G aims to become global top-tier company
8Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event
9LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings
10Middle East 'sales diplomacy' picks up speed Middle East 'sales diplomacy' picks up speed
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film
2Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E' Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E'
3Renaissance aesthetics meets surreal fantasy in Park Min-joon's oil paintings Renaissance aesthetics meets surreal fantasy in Park Min-joon's oil paintings
4Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait' Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait'
5TXT brings together 'pansori' and fairy tale in new song 'Sugar Rush Ride' TXT brings together 'pansori' and fairy tale in new song 'Sugar Rush Ride'
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

wooribank
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group