[Political Reset] Extraordinary Measures Needed to Tackle Political Corruption

Is the recent party nomination bribery scandal an isolated incident? Is it highly unusual? The answer is no. On the contrary, it is a symbolic example showing that corruption within political circles has reached a critical point. Although no one spoke openly about it, activities that were once conducted covertly beneath the surface have come to light through a chance occurrence. While it may not represent the entirety, a structure in which city, provincial, county, and district council members make “tribute payments” to members of the National Assembly in exchange for party nominations has become normalized within the political community. This is why there have been so many sighs of “Is this still happening?” Some even claim that “the district mayor pays 50 million won, the city council member pays 30 million won, and the district council member pays 20 million won.”

There are various types of these practices. First, there is the direct giving of money. For example, there are allegations that Kim Kyung, a Seoul city council member, gave 100 million won to Assemblywoman Kang Sunwoo, and that two Dongjak-gu district council members gave 30 million won to Assemblyman Kim Byungki. These are cases where cash is handed over discreetly. Although investigations are ongoing, the matter has already moved beyond mere suspicion. There are also cases of tribute disguised as legal transactions, such as making large political donations. While this may not be illegal, who can say with certainty that it is not a form of tribute? Sometimes, large sums are handed over under the pretext of book launch events or family celebrations. There are also cases where, instead of money, people offer their labor. Acting almost like a servant, they take care of both major and minor household tasks for the Assembly member. One political insider said, “Sometimes they pay for meals or even hand over their credit card.” There have also been reports of council members paying for home renovations, new furniture, or even the overseas tuition of the Assembly member’s children.

Could this be the secret behind the annual increase in the wealth of National Assembly members? According to the 2024 asset change disclosures, as of December 31, 2024, 231 out of 299 Assembly members, or 77.3%, saw their assets increase. As many as 150 members saw their assets grow by between 100 million and 500 million won in a single year. The annual salary of a National Assembly member is about 150 million won. While there may be other reasons, such as rising real estate values, suspicions naturally arise. At least National Assembly members are subject to greater scrutiny from the media and their competitors due to their high profile.

But what about city, provincial, county, and district council members? In short, there is no effective system to check corruption. This is especially true in areas outside the capital region or in places where a particular party wields strong influence. The distinction between the ruling and opposition parties is relatively weak, and local media, which rely heavily on municipal PR budgets, are less vigilant. Judicial oversight is also limited. The presence of civic groups is even weaker. This is why, centered around the local “landlords” who control the budget, “kingdoms of their own” that transcend party lines are formed.

There are countless cases where taxpayers’ money is wasted without anyone knowing how it was spent. Sometimes, the ruling and opposition parties collude to secure their own interests. Since local council members are allowed to have other jobs, it is not uncommon for them to link their legislative work to their private businesses. For example, they may arrange for government printing jobs or construction projects to be awarded to companies they operate, or allow public facilities to be housed in buildings they own. This is “political business, business politics.”

The pursuit of private gain through “politics” is becoming ever more rampant. Max Weber’s idea of “politics as a vocation” is nowhere to be found. While there are loud calls for prosecutorial and judicial reform, few speak of political reform. It is now time for drastic measures to root out political corruption.