Violations of anti-graft law hit record low last year

SEOUL, September 28 (Yonhap) -- The number of violations against the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act hit a record low last year, according to officials. This act, which has been in place for 10 years, sets limits on the value of gifts and meals that public servants can receive. Violations of the law rose steadily since its introduction, peaking at 4,386 cases in 2018.

However, they have been gradually declining since then, reaching a record low of 1,280 cases in the previous year. The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission reported a cumulative total of 17,455 violations and punished 2,983 individuals. In a June survey, 87.1% of respondents expressed a positive opinion about the law's effectiveness, although 61.4% also believed the law should be enforced more strictly.

Commission Chairman Jung Il-yeon noted that the declining trend in violations and penalized individuals indicates that the system is functioning stably across public institutions.