PM: Ending corruption in bureaucracy top priority for S. Korea

SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- Corruption is widespread in South Korean society and ending irregularities in the bureaucracy is a top priority for the country if it wants to become an advanced nation, Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik said Saturday.

Kim made the remarks at a meeting of all Cabinet ministers and other top officials, a day after President Lee Myung-bak chided officialdom in harsh language over a recent series of revelations of corruption cases involving government officials.

"Public sector corruption is not just a matter related to this administration, but a problem that must be overcome in order for us to join the ranks of advanced nations," Kim told the meeting presided over by President Lee and attended by 87 top officials.

Following a massive influence-peddling scandal involving savings banks, a series of bribery and other corruption cases involving senior officials have been uncovered, deepening public distrust of the bureaucracy.

These cases came as Lee has stepped up his trademark "fair society" campaign that calls for ending corruption, ensuring equal opportunities and narrowing the growing gap between rich and poor.

Lee has since repeatedly vowed to uproot deeply ingrained corrupt practices in the government.

During the top officials' meeting, the Prime Minister's Office put forward a series of measures to tighten discipline in officialdom, including strengthening audit and inspection and improving procedures and systems prone to corruption and irregularities.