South Korean gangsters get more satisfaction from their line of work than the police, according to a survey published on Tuesday.

According to the survey conducted among 109 jailed mobsters by the Korean Institute of Criminal Justice, 79.3 percent of gangsters said they were somewhat or very satisfied with their life in organized crime.

Some 67 percent of gangsters described their job satisfaction level as "okay" and around 12 percent described it as satisfactory or very satisfactory, Dong-A Ilbo newspaper said.

It said only 56 percent of police officers, in a separate survey in 2004, had described their job as okay and around 10 percent called it satisfactory or very satisfactory.

South Korean gangsters make on average about $4,255 a month, which is typically higher than the pay for police.

The criminal justice survey said crime syndicates in South Korea get most of their money through traditional methods such as extortion, prostitution and gambling.

But mobsters have been looking to diversify their operations.

The report said films and soap operas which highlight gangsters' loyalty and masculinity -- traits traditionally admired in Korea -- were a major obstacle in cracking down on them.