214 Agencies `Inspection No Man`s Land`

It has been discovered that as many as 214 agencies due for inspection have not received one for the past ten years. Among them are the National Security Council`s Defense Security Command, the National Tax Tribunal, and the High Prosecutors Office, the so-called `power and influence` agencies. Moreover, reform schools and probation offices where human rights abuses are possible have not received inspection.

According to a document submitted by the inspector to Representative Yoon Kyung-Shik of the Grand National Party on August 30, for the past ten years since 1991, agencies in Seoul, Pusan, Kwangju, Taejeon such as the High Prosecutors Office, Tax Administration (six places including Taejeon and Pohang), and military intelligence headquarters, Ministry of National Defense Joint Investigation Team have not been inspected.

The National Security Council is comprised of the President as chairman, Prime Minister, Director of the National Intelligence Service, Secretary of the Ministry of Unification, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Secretary of Ministry of National Defense.

Seven regional offices of the National Election Commission in Pusan, Inchon, and Chonnam, and nine branches of the Immigration Office in Kimhae, Cheju, and Kwangju were also excluded from inspection.

Also agencies dealing with North Korean issues such as the Office of the South-North Dialogue, Hydro-Energy Development Organization, and the Office of North Korean Refugee Settlement Aid were also excluded, and 24 reform schools and probation offices across the nation had never been inspected in ten years, making them a `human rights dead ground`.

Representative Yoon stated, ``The fact that influential power agencies are not being inspected is itself damaging to order of law. Not inspecting 214 places like reform schools and others is an issue that must be thoroughly examined.``

The inspector stated, ``Preventing overlap between internal inspection mechanisms and reducing the possibility of excessive enforcement of investigations should be the basic direction.``

daviskim@donga.com