2007 was Year of Living Deceptively, Seoul poll shows

    For South Koreans 2007 was the Year of Living Deceptively, according to a survey published Monday

    For South Koreans 2007 was the Year of Living Deceptively, according to a survey published Monday in the wake of scandals involving fake academics, the nation's top conglomerate and politicians.

    A survey of 340 professors selected the Chinese phrase "ja-gi-gi-in" (deceiving yourself and others) from several candidates when asked to sum up the year, newspapers reported.

    "Ja-gi-gi-in is the behaviour resulting from one's excessive desire," Professor Ahn Dae-Hoe told the Korea Herald.

    "Forging degrees, plagiarising theses and the moral insensitivity of politicians and big corporations have shaken up Korean society for the past year."

    The news that a high-profile art curator had faked her degrees prompted a series of similar disclosures, both voluntary and involuntary. The Samsung group is being investigated over claims it operated a massive slush fund for bribery.

    Several government officials have quit over corruption claims and president-elect Lee Myung-Bak faces an independent probe into allegations he was linked to a 2001 stock manipulation scam. He denies any involvement.

    Koreans still use some Chinese characters alongside the indigenous Hangeul script.(Agencies)

“自欺欺人”当选韩国2007年度成语

    据本周一公布的一项调查结果显示，对于韩国人来说，2007年是“生活在欺骗中”的一年。因为在过去一年中，韩国发生了学术造假及涉及大财团和政府官员的一系列丑闻。

    据韩国各大报刊报道，该调查让340名教授从几个备选中国成语中挑出最能概括2007年的成语，结果“自欺欺人”（欺骗自己和别人）当选。

    安大会教授在接受《韩国先驱报》的采访时说：“‘自欺欺人’是一种由贪婪导致的行为。”

    “在过去一年中，学历造假、论文抄袭、政府官员与大财团相互勾结等一系列丑闻严重影响了韩国社会。”

    今年，韩国一位知名艺术系教授被曝学历造假丑闻，这一消息传出后，一系列名人伪造学历丑闻纷纷曝光，有些是主动承认，有些则是被人揭发。而三星集团则因涉嫌非法筹集巨额行贿基金正在接受调查。

    数名政府官员因涉嫌腐败而辞职，新任总统李明博也因涉嫌参与2001年的股票操纵案而将接受“特检”。但李明博否认自己与此案有任何联系。

    韩国人在使用韩语的同时，仍保留了一些汉字。