Korean slang profile
클렙토크라시
keulreptokeurasi
Rule for corrupt private gain
A critical term for a system ruled by politicians, officials, and businesspeople who pursue private gain through corruption.
- Expanded form
- Not documented
- Other spellings
- —
- Earliest source found
- Oct 30, 1998
- Documented trend period
- Not verified
This is the earliest source we have verified, not the date the term was coined.
01Examples, with English translations
- Example by Julimmal
부패한 지배구조를 설명하는 글에서 클렙토크라시라는 말을 접했다.
I encountered 클렙토크라시 in an article explaining a corrupt ruling structure.
02Documented history
No history documented.
03Origin & word formation
A 1998 서울신문 article explains it as a new word combining klepto, meaning thief, and cracy, meaning rule. The first user and time have not been verified.
Evidence for the origin explanationMedium
The definition and social context presented in the contemporary article were compared. First coinage, current range of use, and the extent of spread remain unverified.
04Sources
Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.
- 클렙토크라시(張潤煥 칼럼) (서울신문)Published Oct 30, 1998Original source checked Nov 15, 2026