In South Korea, politicians have given mixed responses to a new anti-corruption law, but the law has appeared to have drawn attention from Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, according to state-run media on Friday.

South Korea's National Assembly approved the law earlier this week, with some seeing it as a measure to weed out public-sector corruption, while others regard it as excessive legislation that could be abused by law enforcement authorities.

The South Korean law allows authorities to criminally punish public officials, journalists and private-school teachers if they receive money, gifts or favors worth more than 1 million won (US$909), regardless of whether it is in exchange for favors or related to their work.

While the law remains controversial in South Korea, Xi spoke of it during a meeting with Shanghai officials in Beijing on Thursday, the People's Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's official mouthpiece, reported on its website Friday. The meeting between Xi and Shanghai officials was part of China's annual session of its rubber-stamp parliament.

During the meeting, Shanghai's chief prosecutor Chen Xu said South Korea is stepping up its anti-corruption campaign by approving the law that "more strictly defines the scope of corruption," according to the report.

In response, Xi was quoted as saying that, in South Korea, people who "receive 1 million won, or 5,700 yuan, are liable to criminal prosecution."

Xi has intensified a crackdown against corruption, saying rampant corruption could threaten the Chinese Communist Party's survival.

Last December, Chinese authorities arrested former security chief Zhou Yongkang, making him the most highest-profile figure caught up in Xi's anti-corruption drive. (Yonhap)