President Vows to Uproot Corruption in Education
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak called for a crackdown on corruption cases involving teachers and education officials, Tuesday, saying he would place top priority on rooting out corruption among social leaders this year.
"The educational sector has become a hotbed of irregularities. It is heartbreaking," Lee said during a weekly Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae.
"Corruption is the No.1 obstacle for our country on the course of becoming an advanced, top-class economy. We cannot achieve the goal without addressing this malaise."
Lee urged the Cabinet to tackle crimes committed by the elite in society with a sense of urgency because it is a matter of national pride, presidential spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye said.
He said corruption among social leaders is one of the key challenges for Korea in improving the country's reputation abroad, adding their integrity is closely related to national competitiveness.
"It's time to improve all sectors of society commensurate with the country's rising international status. Public servants should work with a sense of responsibility and sacrifice," the President said.
The instruction came as prosecutors are widening an investigation into a bribery scandal involving senior officials at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, which supervises elementary, middle and high schools in the capital.
Lee has repeatedly called for increased integrity among senior officials and politicians, and the rule of law.
According to Transparency International, a global anti-corruption body, Korea ranked 39th among 180 countries in the world and 22nd among the 30 OECD member nations in 2009.
The government is expected to step up efforts to reform the educational sector while strengthening monitoring of corruption among senior officials.
On Monday, President Lee said he would convene a monthly meeting of senior educational policymakers from next month to discuss ways to improve services for students and parents.