Why did violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act fall to a record low last year?

Officials said the decline suggests the system is operating stably across public institutions. Jung Il-yeon, chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, said the downward trend in violations and penalized individuals is encouraging.

How many anti-graft law violations were reported last year and what was the peak earlier on?

The commission said there were 1,280 violation cases last year, the lowest since the law took effect 10 years ago. The annual total had peaked at 4,386 cases in 2018 before falling over time.

What did the June survey say about the effectiveness of the anti-graft law?

The commission said 87.1 percent of respondents gave a positive assessment of the law’s effectiveness. At the same time, 61.4 percent said the law should be enforced more strictly.

Violations of anti-graft law hit record low last year

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Summary

Violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act fell to a record low last year, officials said Monday, as the law marked its 10th year in force. The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission said violations dropped to 1,280 cases last year after peaking at 4,386 in 2018. Jung Il-yeon said the downward trend shows the system is operating stably across public institutions.

Key Facts

The law sets price caps on gifts and meals that public servants may receive, among other things.
Annual violations have fluctuated in recent years after declining through 2021, according to the commission.
A cumulative total of 17,455 violation cases have been reported and 2,983 people have been punished.
The commission said a June survey found 87.1 percent of respondents viewed the law positively, while 61.4 percent said it should be enforced more strictly.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 28, 2026 1:36 pm KST

Jung Il-yeon, chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, speaks at a briefing at the Government Complex Sejong, Sep. 10. Yonhap

Violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act fell to the lowest level last year since the law went into effect 10 years ago, officials said Monday.

The act stipulates the price caps on gifts and meals that public servants can be treated, among other things.

Since the law took effect, violations steadily increased and peaked at 4,386 cases in 2018 before declining through 2021. Since then, annual totals had fluctuated before reaching a record low of 1,280 cases last year, according to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.

A cumulative total of 17,455 cases of violations have been reported and 2,983 people have been punished.

The commission said it conducted a survey in June about the act and 87.1 percent responded positively about its effectiveness. But 61.4 percent of the respondents also said that the law should be enforced more strictly, officials said.

"It is encouraging that the number of violations and penalized individuals are on a downward trend as it shows that the system is operating stably across public institutions," said Jung Il-yeon, chairman of the commission.

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