The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Tuesday released a guide book entitled "Business Ethics 100 Q&A." The book has six chapters such as "Gift vs Bribe" that provide a standard of ethics for Korea's business people.

According to the KCCI, congratulatory money gifts of over W100,000 should be turned down, while it's okay to accept smaller presents like neckties unless they're extremely expensive. The guide book advises to keep cash gifts under W50,000.

The ethics guide also points out that occasions for congratulations or condolences should be communicated to groups of unspecified people through media or an open bulletin board on the Internet, rather than to specific individuals.

As for gifts from clients, it's fine for business people to accept reasonable ones unless they feel obligated to compensate somehow. When treating business associates to lunch or dinner, it's appropriate to spend less than W50,000 per person.

However, playing a card game for large amounts of money with business associates or receiving sponsorships from associates for internal events are inappropriate practices.

As for playing golf, it's fine to participate in an official event such as a golf match to commemorate a corporation's founding. However, if the game is private then participants should pay their own greens fees.

The KCCI added that U.S. companies tolerate workers playing golf with clients as long as it's outside work hours and players pay their own greens fees, but most Japanese companies flatly ban playing golf with business associates.

(englishnews@chosun.com )