Controversial Blanket Producing Company Won Contract Again

Kang Sam-jae, a lawmaker of the Grand National Party raised a suspicion during a parliamentary audit against the defense committee Monday that a preferential treatment has been offered Changshin Textile Co. to win a bid for supplying 2 billion won worth of military blankets. The company stirred a controversy when it had been found to provide inferior blankets to the military in 2001 and 2002.

According to a document presented by Rep. Kang, the textile company, whose owner is Kang Keum-won who bought a piece of land in Youngin, Gyeonggi Province from Lee Ki-myoung, former head of President Roh`s supporter group, was awarded a contract to supply 2 billion won worth of military blankets by beating its rival companies on August 26.

The textile company had also won a bid to supply some 2.5 billion won worth of military blankets in 2001 and 2002. However, it was fined 84.6 million won for having provided inferior goods. In a related move, three officials at Busan office of quality control for military supplies were submitted to disciplinary measures for turning blind eyes to defects on blankets the company provided early this year.

Rep. Kang pointed out that although the total amount of inferior blankets reached almost 2.1 billion won, the defense ministry imposed unfairly low fines against the company to prevent the company from being eliminated from a bid.

In response, the defense ministry made it clear that it is true that the company was awarded a 2 billion worth contract this year, but there was no preferential treatment involved in the bid.

Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com