The number of public servants disciplined for drunk driving nearly doubled to 1,175 last year from a year earlier, according to government data obtained by a ruling party lawmaker.

The Ministry of Personnel Management data showed that a total of 3,544 public servants received disciplinary punishment for drunk driving for the past five years, according to Rep. Lee Jae-jung of the Democratic Party.

In particular, the number rose sharply to 1,175 from 624 in 2015.

By ministry, the education ministry had the most officials rebuked for drunk driving with 1,948, followed by the National Police Agency with 310, the National Tax Service with 237, the Ministry of Science and ICT with 216, and the Justice Ministry with 210 people.
 

The total number of public servants stands at 650,000 as of last year, with more than half of them, or 360,000, education officials, followed by police with 124,000.

"Rampant drunk driving by public servants shows that the officialdom is too lenient on drunk driving," Lee said. "We have to send a strong warning to the community of officials through stern punishment of drunk driving."

Meanwhile, the data also showed that a total of 588 officials were disciplined for sex-related crimes, with 286 of them for sexual assault, 219 for sexual harassment and 81 for prostitution.

Officials belonging to the education ministry topped the list with 304 people, followed by the National Police Agency with 108, the Justice Ministry with 26 and the Ministry of Science and ICT with 25, the data showed. (Yonhap)