Editorial: Rampant local corruption must be eradicated for self-governance and economy to survive

South Korean police have taken significant action against local corruption, prosecuting 535 individuals and arresting 20 for offenses involving public officials and local council members. The investigation, ongoing since March, has uncovered a wide range of illicit activities, from rigged contracts to bribery and abuse of power.

One notable case involved a former local government official who established a shell company after retirement and secured approximately 2.6 billion won ($2 million) through 79 preferential contracts with their former municipality. Another instance saw a provincial council member arrested for accepting around 450 million won ($340,000) in kickbacks for influencing budget allocations and favoring specific suppliers.

The corruption extends to 인사 비리 (personnel-related corruption) and the misuse of internal information. Two employees of a public institution's regional branch are accused of pocketing over 1.6 billion won ($1.2 million) through fraudulent orders totaling 2.5 billion won ($1.9 million). These revelations follow a previous arrest last month of a high-ranking local official implicated in accepting over 200 million won ($150,000) in bribes related to urban development permits.

The editorial argues that despite the decentralization of power and budgets to local governments since 1995, endemic local corruption, often in collusion with entrenched local powers, persists. This deep-rooted issue undermines regional development initiatives, such as the government's '5-core, 3-special' plan aimed at boosting local economies through corporate investment. The article stresses that if local governments continue to monopolize contracts or extort businesses, potential investors will be deterred, exacerbating youth outflow and regional decline. It calls for a comprehensive overhaul of local administrative systems to ensure transparency in all processes, from permits to budgeting and contracts, and advocates for a nationwide expansion of the 'one-strike-out' policy for corrupt officials to sever the cycle of corruption and revitalize local communities.