Lawmakers least trusted

Lawmakers rank at the bottom among the nation’s 12 broad occupational groups in terms of social credibility, according to a survey by the Nielsen Company Korea, Wednesday.

It said people think lawmakers are the least credible out of 12 occupational groups, including school teachers, professors, prosecutors and civil servants.

Lawmakers received 2.4 out of 10 points for measuring credibility, and officials in central and local administrations also scored relatively low with 3.8 points and 3.9 points, respectively.

The survey was conducted online on 1,000 adults living in Seoul and four other big cities last month. Teachers of elementary, middle and high schools were found to have the highest credibility at 5.7, followed by university professors and civic group activists (5.3 points), and medical doctors, accountants and lawyers (5.1 points).

The company said Korea needs to restore credibility in jobs related to defending public safety and order, such as lawmakers, civil servants and prosecutors.