South Korean gangsters get more satisfaction from their line of work
than the police, according to a survey published on Tuesday.
According to the survey conducted among 109 jailed mobsters by the
Korean Institute of Criminal Justice, 79.3 percent of gangsters said they
were somewhat or very satisfied with their life in organized crime.
Some 67 percent of gangsters described their job satisfaction level as
"okay" and around 12 percent described it as satisfactory or very
satisfactory, Dong-A Ilbo newspaper said.
It said only 56 percent of police officers, in a separate survey in
2004, had described their job as okay and around 10 percent called it
satisfactory or very satisfactory.
South Korean gangsters make on
average about $4,255 a month, which is typically higher than the pay for
police.
The criminal justice survey said crime syndicates in South Korea get
most of their money through traditional methods such as extortion,
prostitution and gambling.
But mobsters have been looking to diversify their operations.
The report said films and soap operas which
highlight gangsters' loyalty and masculinity
-- traits traditionally admired in Korea -- were a
major obstacle in cracking down on them.
