Heiress, Pitcher and Kingmaker in Focus as Korea Graft Law Looms

South Korea’s constitutional court on Thursday ruled to uphold an anti-corruption law aimed at ending the practice of pampering public officials with meals and gifts. The nation’s strictest-ever law against graft, which will now take effect in September, sets a cap on what government workers, teachers and journalists can accept at 30,000 won ($27) for meals and 50,000 won for gifts. It came about after calls for tighter regulations following the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking a disaster that exposed inappropriate connections between the shipping industry and its watchdogs. A recent flurry of investigations and arrests has added to the push to enact the law. At the same time, some economists and agricultural groups have said the changes could hurt restaurants and farmers (given typical gifts include beef, fruit and seafood), and the law was cited as a risk to growth by the central bank this month.