ACRC says 92.9% of public servants now
“support the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act”,
an increase from earlier stage of Act’s implementation

- Release of survey results on people’s awareness of Improper Solicitation and Graft Act on occasion of 5th anniversary of Act -

(29th Sep. 2021, ACRC)

A recent awareness survey on the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act showed that 92.9% of public servants, etc. and 87.5% of ordinary citizens support the Act. This rate is an increase by 7.4%p and 2.2%p, respectively, compared to the year 2016 when the Act was enacted.

On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the implementation of the Act, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (Chairperson : Jeon Hyun-hui, hereinafter ACRC) conducted an awareness survey on public servants, etc. and citizens and released the results, in order to see the implications of the Act and the changes it has made on overall society.

Summary of survey

□Purpose : To find out the implications of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act on public servants and ordinary citizens and the changes in their perceptions of it

□Target : A total of 2,003 people [800 citizens, 350 public officials, 200 executives and employees of public service-related institutions, 303 teachers and staff of primary and secondary schools and colleges, 150 executives and employees of media companies, and 200 people in affected occupations]

□Duration : July 22 ~ August 9, 2021 (by Hankook Research)

<Percentage of respondents who said that the Act has had positive effects on society (%)>

In relation to the implementation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, the survey showed that 92.9% of public servants, etc. and 87.5% of citizens “support the Act.” Especially, in the case of public servants, etc., the support rate has increased by 7.4%p compared to the year 2016 when the Act was first implemented.

Regarding the implications of the Act on society, 93.5% of public servants, etc. and 87.1% of citizens answered that “it has had positive effects.” The rate of public servants, etc., in particular, has increased by 8.4%p from 2016.

<Percentage of respondents who said that  the limited value is appropriate (%)>

Also, 85.7% of public servants, etc. and 81.3% of citizens answered that they have come to “perceive routinely offered favors, entertainment, and gifts as inappropriate acts.” Especially, the rate of public servants, etc. has increased by as much as 16.7%p compared to the year 2016.

Regarding the allowed value of food and beverages, congratulatory or condolence money, gifts, etc. prescribed in the Act, more than half of the respondents said it is “appropriate.” In the case of gifts, in particular, 71.6% of public servants, etc., 62.0% of citizens, and 54.0% of affected occupations answered that the limited value was appropriate.

* Food and beverages : KRW 30,000(USD 25), Congratulatory or condolence money : KRW 50,000(USD 40), Gifts: KRW 50,000(USD 40)

ACRC Director-General of Anti-Corruption Bureau Han Sam-seok said, “The results show that the support of citizens and public servants, etc. for the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act has significantly increased compared to the year 2016 when the Act was first implemented.” He added that “the number of reports on the violation of the Act has decreased every year, meaning that the results seem to reflect the strong support and high level of awareness on the compliance of the law by the people and public servants, etc.”

He continued, “Based on this awareness survey results, the ACRC will make efforts to consistently monitor the effects of the implementation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and actively uncover and improve the areas that need institutional improvement such as corruption-prone areas, so that this Act can be firmly settled as rules of integrity and ethics for public servants.”