Government officials and businesspersons hold up a written anti-corruption pledge. [Yonhap News Photo ]
South Korea was embroiled in a fresh wave of debate Monday after the enforcement ordinances for a controversial law pushed by President Park Geun-hye to eradicate corruption was unveiled.
The law subjects public officials, journalists and teachers to a maximum penalty of three years in prison, or a fine of up to five times the amount accepted in money or valuables if they are worth more than one million won ($900) from one person in one installment.
It is called the Kim Young-ran Law because Kim Young-ran, a former judge, had initially proposed legislation. Kim has insisted that journalists and teachers should be included in the law because their work is largely public in nature.
On Monday, a state civil rights panel made a pre-announcement of legislation stipulating that public officials, journalists and private school faculty who are treated to meals costing more than 30,000 won can be fined.
The ceiling for gifts was set at 50,000 won, and money for congratulations and condolences to 100,000 won.
Customarily, South Koreans donate cash when they attend wedding ceremonies, funerals and other crucial family events involving friends, relatives, and company colleagues, out of good will to help reduce their financial burden. Annually, they spend some 500,000 won on cash gifts for such events.
Under current anti-corruption regulations, public officials cannot be punished for accepting expensive gifts and services unless there is evidence of reciprocity.
The new law was approved by parliament in March last year and will take effect in September this year.
Lawyers and journalists, however, have filed a joint petition with the Constitutional Court, insisting the law restricts freedom of the press. They said it could be misused as a tool to control the press.
Cattle growers, floriculturists, department stores, hotel and beef restaurants, have also opposed it, saying their sales would be affected by the law.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
