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Bribery Among The Korean Elite: Putting An End To A Cultural Ritual And Restoring Honor, Daniel Y. Jun

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

On August 26, 1996, the criminal bribery convictions of two former South Korean Presidents sent shockwaves throughout the nation of South Korea. The court found former Presidents Chun Doo Hwan and Rof Tae Woo guilty of amassing hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes during their respective presidential terms. The court also found corporate executives of major Korean conglomerates guilty of bribing the former Presidents in exchange for government contracts or political favors. Such events invite a look into South Korea's difficult past, revealing a history of remarkable industrial progress tarnished by pervasive government corruption. This Note first explores South …