`Red Light` to the Sense of Morality of Juveniles

A research on the moral sense of juveniles showed its serious condition, e.g. 4 out of 10 high or junior high school students say, "it is needless to keep the law when no one is watching."

Transparency International-Korea (chairperson Kim Sung-Soo) surveyed 1005 students of 10 high or junior high schools in Seoul, and announced the report titled `the sense of juveniles on corruption and anti-corruption` on 2nd.

According to the research, 28.4 percents of the respondents answered, "I will bribe if it solves a trouble.` and 33 percents, "I will close my eyes to the corruption which could cause damage to me unless.` and 22.7 percents, "I will overlook the corruption of relatives."

16 percents of respondents showed that they don`t care the means to achieve their aims saying `yes` to the question, "can you corrupt in spite of 10 years` imprisonment if you earn 1 billion won? "

And 9 out of 10 students answered, `Korea is corrupted.`Political circles are listed as the most corrupted group by over 3 out of 10(33 percents), followed by enterprises (12 percents), public officials (11 percents), judicial circles (9 percents), journalists (9 percents) and educational circles (8 percents).

To the reason for the ineradicable corruption like bribery, 64 percents of the respondents said, "it`s because of light or no penalty to the violation of law," and 29.9 percents said, "it`s because of the sense that it is losing to keep the law. "

Kim Jung-Soo policy chief of TIK stated, "juveniles are generous to themselves while strict with the social corruption. Education of Anti-corruption is urgent, because their sense of morality is very serious. "

Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com