미국에 있어서 고위공직자에 요구되는 청렴성, 도덕성의 기준 - 미국의 1989년 윤리개혁법을 중심으로 -

Political corruption is the improper use of governmental power by government officials for illegitimate private gains. The illegal activities by the office holder constitute the political corruption when the acts are directly related to their official duties. All levels of government officers are susceptible to political corruption and the forms of corruption vary such as bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. Political corruption poses a serious development challenge and undermines democracy and good governance by subverting formal processes. Political corruption also undermines the legitimacy of government and democratic values. There are long lists of political corruptions in the U.S. history and many trials to control those corruptions. After President Nixon's Watergate Scandal, the Congress enacted the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to set financial disclosure requirements for public officials and restrictions on former government employees' lobbying activities. The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 also substantially amended the personal financial disclosure requirements, outside income limitations, post-employment activities and gifts rules binding on not only Members of the House and Senate and their employees but also higher executive officials. The acts provide very specific standards how to act and penalties for illegal activities. According to statistics, political corruption scandals have not diminished substantially in the U.S. It is very difficult to eradicate political corruption in each democratic societies. The ethics program to control political corruption would be good reference for Korean government's ethics programs.