Audit on Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles May Change Venue

According to the National Policy Agency, five assemblymen from the United New Democratic Party and three from the Grand National Party who are members of the Government Administration and Local Autonomy Committee, and some aides of other assemblymen, ate and drank together at a bar in Mapogu, Seoul with about 10 top officials of the agency, including Commissioner General Lee Taek-soon, after conducting a national audit on the agency. The dinner tab, amounting to 1.34 million won, was picked up by the agency.

Meanwhile, the Korea Culture and Content Agency said that a total of 42 million won was allocated for audit expenses regarding seven agencies, including the Korea Culture and Content Agency, the Korea Film Council, the Korea Media Rating Board, the Korea Federation of Film Archives, the Korea Game Industry Agency, and the Game Rating Board, which are all subject to audits from the parliamentary Culture and Tourism Committee next Tuesday. It has been reported that the figure includes costs for lunches and dinners of assemblymen and their aides.

According to the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles, three assemblymen, including United New Democratic Party assemblyman Kim Won-woong of the parliamentary Unification, Foreign Affairs, and Trade Committee, who are to conduct an audit on the Consulate General in Los Angeles, may change the venue of the audit from the scheduled “M” hotel to another. The change may take place in response to some concerns that conducting an audit in a hotel is inappropriate at a time when politicians at home are engulfed in a growing audit scandal.