Comments on: Expected, but amusing

By: SeoulPodcast » Blog Archive » SeoulPodcast #16: An EPIK Tale (Justin Sowers)

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:08:28 +0000

[...] Expected, but amusing (Marmot) [...]

By: In Korea, red means go « Korea Dispatch

In Korea, red means go « Korea Dispatch — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:52:38 +0000

[...] for instance, the Seoul council member arrested for bribery. In his defense he says, ““I just gave them gifts in accordance with habitual practice,” [...]

By: Kalani

Kalani — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 03:24:23 +0000

Long ago it was ascertained the REAL reason people wanted to become a member of the Seoul City Council — or any city council around the nation — was NOT to do anything useful for their city, but to serve as a stepping stone for higher office where the real big bucks could be made. Anyone remember when the Seoul City Council complained they were not making enough money?

I don’t think it was a bribe so much as an effort to “influence” the vote as Chairman would ensure his next step up the political ladder.

However, I can’t see a million won as a “bribe.” As someone mentioned before, a million won “bribe” is pocketchange by Seoul standards. If you want to bribe someone, it would have to be a lot more…

But this “bribery” charge gets weak as there are 106 council members and 100 are from the GNP. Only six belong to the Democratic and the Democratic Labor parties. Why didn’t he bribe 100 council members if he was going to “bribe” the council members?

Also with only 6 UDP and DLP council members out of 106 councilmen, I wonder who snitched to the police of the “bribes”? Give you one guess.

Anyway, this is petty politics…

By: Sperwer

Sperwer — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:30:08 +0000

Most Korean pols and businessmen are in fact little more than slicky boys living large.

By: Keyser Soze

Keyser Soze — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:26:09 +0000

1. “bribees” Masterful as always, Brendon!

LOL

3. Ditto. My guess is Mr. Kim got his minute on the “runway” because some other slicky had an ax to grind with him.

Before I put any credence in any “corruption crackdown” in this land, I’d like to see some traffic law enforcement.

By: Sperwer

Sperwer — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:03:46 +0000

Korea actually now has fairly restrictive anti-corruption laws and regulations applicable to both electoral politics and govt operations (e.g., lobbying). In fact, the limits on e.g., the permissible cost of a meal that a bureaucrat can accept from a lobbyist wouldn’t get you a coffee and a sandwich at Starbucks. The problem, as ever in vortex, is in the gaps between the law and practice and enforcement. It’s great that they’ve gone after this mook, but until they actually enforce a serious penalty on the likes of the Hyundai Jungs or the Samsung Lees, not much is going to change. Korean mentality needs more than a couple of perp walks and photo ops of a corporate thug like Jung doing community service.

By: NES

NES — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:12:22 +0000

오십보백보

Sorry, but I had to say it. ^^

By: Brendon Carr (Korea Law Blog)

Brendon Carr (Korea Law Blog) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:23:11 +0000

If these were bribes, they appear to be completely piddly bribes — a little over W1,000,000 apiece. Reports in other media have it as W35,000,000 for 32 “bribees”.