Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn vowed Monday to establish "the rule of law" against illegal acts and irregularities in the latest of the government's efforts to eradicate corruption.

"The government should carry out appropriate punishment for corruption and show responsibility for illegal acts," Hwang said. 

The remarks were made during a government meeting presided over by Hwang and attended by ministers of the justice, culture and interior, as well as heads of the top financial regulator and the fair trade commission. 

Hwang noted that the government should execute the law in a continuous and consistent manner so that the rule of law is firmly established in our society and make it an advanced country.

The anti-corruption drive will scrutinize 16 anti-graft tasks in major areas, such as the public sector, people's lives and the economy, according to officials.

The move comes as the country has been hit by a series of corruption scandals, including those in the government sectors, in recent years. 

South Korea climbed three notches in international corruption awareness to 43 out of 175 countries in 2014, according to a global anti-corruption watchdog.

The Berlin-based Transparency International said that South Korea scored 56 out of 100 in the 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index. (Yonhap)