South Korea punishes more minor lawbreakers

The Chosun Ilbo reports about a Korean politician who felt the need to compare punishment statistics of minor lawbreakers in his country to punishment statistics from Japan:

This difference is vast even given that Japan’s Minor Offenses Act lists only 34 offenses against Korea’s 54.

In the case of neighborhood disturbances, which are offenses in both countries, Korea saw 46,955 cases last year but Japan a mere 25. For garbage dumping, Japan punished 98 people and Korea 60,940, and for urinating in public, Japan booked 191 people but Korea 11,535. “The number of minor offense cases was 622 per 100,000 people in Korea, 44.4 times more than Japan’s 14 per 100,000 people,” An said.

The National Police Agency in August conducted a survey to sound out the reasons why people did not comply with public-order rules. Some 40.5 percent of respondents said because not many minor offenses are checked and punished, and 11 percent said compliance would be inconvenient.

An said if Korea is to become “a healthy society and a first-rate advanced nation,” a public-order drive is urgently needed.

I’ve seen a fair share of illegal garbage dumping and public urination in Japan, and I’d like to think that authorities actually punish more than a handful of offenders each year. These statistics seem to prove otherwise.

[via The Marmot's Hole]

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15 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - October 15, 2009 at 7:19 am

Categories: General Japan Tags:

Canadian

//An said if Korea is to become “a healthy society and a first-rate advanced nation,” a public-order drive is urgently needed.//

This is the slogan of Lee Myeong Bak, the most corrupted South Korean president to date.

If you really want to blame Koreans, just blame the very prominent and well-established politicians instead. They are the ones who spew anti-Japanese rhetorics while secretly upholding their benefit from their Chinilpa (Koreans who were pro-Imperial Japan) fathers and grandfathers. This is THANKS to the help from the American military government before the Korean War.

Rising Sun

This is true…

Politics ruined the image of Koreans.

The South Korean government demands an apology from Japan for the past crimes, but the South Korean people don’t really care for an apology. Many Korean people have forgotten about the past, the only people that haven’t are the elderly, but they will die out soon.

Canadian

//Politics ruined the image of Koreans.//

Having actually lived in South Korea, it’s the American government that ruined South Korean politics. Ultimately, America is the main culprit between Korea and Japan, not South Korea.

If a Japanese hates South Korea, it’s better to hate America in the long run than South Korea.

japanobserver

I am sorry but I do not quite follow. The government only is insisting on an apology? In fact, I was under the impression that rabid demands for apologies came from the angry youthful generation more so than the elders (excluding comfort women). Japan shouldn’t hate anyone and avoid dwelling on the past. As for SK, the shifting of hate has transgressed from disliking North Korea to hating Japan and this trend is here to stay. Whether America ruined SK politics should not be of Japan’s concern, its citizens need to feel progressive and act civil to its SK neighbor even if the peninsula may be seething with Anti-Japan rhetoric.
Canadian

//In fact, I was under the impression that rabid demands for apologies came from the angry youthful generation more so than the elders (excluding comfort women).//

Which leads from the corrupted politicians related to Chinilpa. Public education indoctrination promoted by them towards the youth.

And those corrupted politicians have strong connection t Japan and especially America.

//its citizens need to feel progressive and act civil to its SK neighbor even if the peninsula may be seething with Anti-Japan rhetoric.//

Korean people are progressive and civil, except that the corrupted politicians are screwing them.

Korean nationalism = pro-Americanism

If you have enough clue about the whole thing, Korean nationalism is very much tied to America.

Why hate Koreans when it is more necessary to hate America?

fg

That makes sense, because after the defeat of Japan and the peninsula, the US occupying forces had their hands on every aspect of Japan and Korea’s political and economical establishments.
I suspect that the CIA had their hitman controlling policies and swaying public opinion in both countries to keep the whole Far-east Asia region divided and under their rule.

Canadian

//That makes sense, because after the defeat of Japan and the peninsula, the US occupying forces had their hands on every aspect of Japan and Korea’s political and economical establishments.
I suspect that the CIA had their hitman controlling policies and swaying public opinion in both countries to keep the whole Far-east Asia region divided and under their rule.//

Exactly.
fg

Is there any kind of journalism or studies that picks up this kind of issue in Korea, or even in North America?

In Japan recently, more information about the Ultra-rightist, and the whole US control over post war Japan is becoming more evident to ordinary people. I think that is one of the reasons DPJ lost in the elections.
https://www.cia.gov/ The CIA

Curse you clever internet commenters for discovering our conspiracy!

Through our magical mind manipulation rays, we were able to set America’s two closest allies in East Asia against each other, thus assuring that we would never have a completely united front against the nearby communist aggressor nations. Which helps us because, um… Well, that’s top secret or something.

Next we will create a rift between Singapore and Taiwan, because we are the CIA, all-powerful and evil!

Bwa ha ha!
Ajapa

Dear The CIA,

I’m so excited. Is it true that all Ninjas are hired by CIA now? Am I assasinated if I witness a Ninja?

fg,

It was LDP who had lost in the elections. And I think, DPJ’s victory is mostly due to disappointment toward LDP. I doubt that DPJ can really put the bureaucracy under their strict control.

Brian

Aren’t South Koreans officially the hardest working people in the world for a few years, now? (ignoring China, since they don’t have good documentation)

Give the poor guys a break, being overly-strict on minor offenses isn’t necessary.

k

Its illegal to urinate in public in Japan? I use to see business men do it all the time, while slamming a beer.

Ajapa

As I mentioned somewhere before, urinating in public is considered an important part of the cat rights. They have a right to mark their territory with their urine.

However, it is clearly illegal for humans in Japan. According to the Minor Offenses Act Article 1, a person who spit, spit phlegm out, urinate, or evacuate in public place like streets, parks, or any other places where the general public gathers, or a person who forces others to do such acts, must pay a fine or be detained.

http://dimesfornickels.wordpress.com/ William George

And meanwhile, the Korean legal system is handing out slaps on the wrist for child rape…
RMilner

You’ve got to give South Korea a break.

It’s only about 15 years ago they got out from under a military dictatorship. The authorities are still highly authoritarian.

South Korea punishes more minor lawbreakers

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