Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Are bribes common in Korea?
Here is an article excerpt to consider (February 20, 2004).

A former head of an organ donors' foundation in Seoul was on Friday indicted on charges of taking bribes in relation with organ transplants, according to the prosecution. Park Jin-tak, former head of Korea Organ and Tissue Donor Program, was indicted without detention for receiving more than 60 million won ($50,000) from four patients. Park manufactured the waiting list to bring those patients up to the top of the list while the patients were originally placed 20th or 30th in order, prosecution said.

Apart from his bribery charges, Park is also suspected of misappropriating some 70 million won the organization had received in donations for his own personal use, according to the prosecution.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200402/kt2004022017480611950.htm

Corruption Perceptions Index 2003
South Korea: 52

Australia: 8
Canada: 11
Finland: 1
Haiti: 131
New Zealand: 4
South Africa: 49
United Kingdom: 13
United States: 19
Zimbabwe: 112
Note: Ties were placed in their numerical order.
http://www.transparency.org/cpi/2003/cpi2003.en.html

Corruption and other irregularities are of course nothing new, and it's not exclusively the fault of the president and members of the National Assembly. The reality is that everything from the central government to regional ones, and the private sector, such as between corporate purchasing and subcontractors, are involved. And the food chain of corruption goes on and on. The people are accustomed to seeing new influentials take the stage with each new government, acting as if they're Heaven's gift from above and shouting reform, this while their feet are already deep in the same dirt.

According to a recent survey, as many as 90 percent of Korea's youth think they live in a country that's corrupt, and a considerable number of them say they're ready to join the club if the occasions calls for it later in life.
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200310/200310080034.html

[igotthisguitar]

India second only to Indonesia in business corruption -- survey

( South Korea is sixth )

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20040302/india_nm/india_146533&e=2

[just because]

Real reality thanks for stating the obvious.

I don't mind a good bribe every now and then.

[Ilsanman]

I wonder where Japan is on the list. That'd be interesting.

[Real Reality]

Ilsanman wrote,
I wonder where Japan is on the list. That'd be interesting.

Japan: 22

[Butterfly]

[jaebea]

Taking business associates out to room salons and paying for several grand worth of "entertainment" could be constituted as a bribe in other countries.. :)

In any case, look at the big bloody mess regarding Roh's campaign funds. This is the same bloke who got into power vowing to clear corruption, on the strength of an unusually strong turnout of young voters.

Sweet irony.. :)

Disenchanted young Koreans know it's wrong, but they're not dumb. If giving and taking bribes is what it takes to end up on top, and if there are no measures to protect/reward the morally righteous, then you'd be a fool in the eyes of society to take the moral high ground.

It's a sad, sad effect of where Korea has been heading over the last 20 years. I'm afraid lest it get worse. Behold the new Sodom and Gomorrah.. :)

jae.

[Richtofen]

In the US bribes and graft dont help in business. But it helps if youre freemason. The fix is in there.

[Swiss James]

I've read a few books on Korea that have said bribery of one kind or another have been a part of the culture for a very, very long time.
It's ingrained, but my impression is not that it's getting worse, but that it's finally being thrust into the open and should, therefore, get better.

[weatherman]

I find in Korea work that is one's obligation with his/her job sometimes isn't. And getting anything done that should be done naturally, takes a lot of ass kissing or a bribe. For instance, my re-signing bonus is late. Ask the bussiness manager why ~~~ he hasn't done the paper work yet. So I tell him I really need the money by the middle of the month, which should have been in by this month's first. So now, because he hasn't done his job, I have to kiss his ass and be all nice to him, thinking of getting him a nice bottle of wine, for he likes wine, all so I can get the money I really need and that should have already come. If I don't do all this it makes me look like a shmuck for not acknowledging his efforts. See, he sees his efforts as a favor to me, and I see it as him not doing his job.

[Swiss James]

But then teachers get presents on teachers day and biscuity snacks on pepero day for just doing their job.
I ain't saying it's right, but it's not all one way traffic

[matthewwoodford]

Is the Pope Catholic?

Do bears s h i t in the woods?

Are bribes common in Korea?

[kangnamdragon]

What do you think room salons are for?

[weatherman]

[kangnamdragon]

I don't think a teacher getting a present on Teachers' Day is bribery. It is appreciation.