EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Sept. 16)

Address registration abuses

A handful of officials nominated for top government positions in the recent
cabinet reshuffle were found, during the course of their confirmation hearings,
to have manipulated their residential records in order to get their children into
the schools of their choice.

Registering a false address is a violation of Article 37 of the inhabitant
registration law, and is punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of
up to 10 million won ($8,170).
In Korea, it is a shameful but persistent problem. Since the 1970s, Koreans have
relied on real estate and education for security and social status, and have
registered false addresses to increase their standing in both. Although it is
illegal, many commit the crime without remorse because they believe these social
concerns justify their actions. The authorities, meanwhile, treat the matter
lightly, and they do not have the technology nor the personnel to track down
every resident and confirm addresses.
The most disturbing thing is that it is the members of the upper class who are
most frequently guilty of illegal registration. Most people could not even dream
of buying or living in a neighborhood known for the excellence of its schools, so
they feel no need to register under a different address. But it is common
practice among members of the public service, political, academic and media
sectors.
The problem persists regardless of who is in office. In the Kim Dae-jung
administration, Jang Sang and Jang Dae-hwan, candidates for prime minister,
stepped down for reporting false addresses. In the Roh Moo-hyun administration,
the wife of Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hun-jae was suspected of tampering with her
family???s residential records. President Lee Myung-bak also had to apologize for
changing his address for the sake of his children???s education.
Law enforcement officials are no different. Chun Sung-gwan, who was recently
forced to withdraw from consideration for the prosecutor general???s post, was
reprimanded by lawmakers on such suspicions during his confirmation hearing. The
next candidate, Kim Joon-gyu, was questioned for the same reason. Kim was
suspected of changing his address four times.
Confirmation hearings expose other ethical problems such as plagiarism and tax
evasion. But nothing has been more divisive than false residential registration.
Each time, the candidates drop their heads or apologize. Each time, they bring
shame on the entire country.
Yet the abuses continue. According to the Seoul Office of Education, there were
some 192 cases of false registration among high school freshmen in 2008, compared
with 138 in 2007. The unofficial number is likely much higher when cases
involving real estate speculation are included, and the national numbers are
higher still.
We have been living too long with this disease. It is time we dealt with it once
and for all.
(END)