A South Korean local government has stopped awarding prizes to big-spending barflies in the second setback this month for the country’s hard-drinking culture, a report said on Wednesday.
The Goesan county government had faced criticism over its ”Drinking Culture Prize”, rewarding county employees who boosted the local economy the most by frequenting local bars, the JoongAng Daily said.
Three employees had won a three-day trip to the resort island of Jeju and a plaque for their elbow-bending efforts. But criticism intensified when it was learnt that one had lost his licence in 2005 for drunk driving, the paper said.
County chief Lim Gak-Soo was quoted as saying the rewards would in future go to officials who boost the economy of Goesan, 100km south-east of Seoul, in other ways, such as by shopping locally.
Last week the Seoul High Court awarded 30-million won ($32 300) in compensation to a female employee who said her boss had forced her to join office drinking parties after work. – Sapa-AFP