Special Inspection into 27 Local Governments Whose Administrators Have Been “Absent”

The Board of Audit and Inspection has launched a special inspection into 27 local self-governing bodies, including Gyeongnam Province, whose vice administrators have acted for their administrators because of their running for the April 15 general election and the June 5 re-election and by-election.

Lim Jong-bin, director of self-government administration inspection at the Board of Audit and Inspection, said on June 8, “There are 33 local governments whose vice administrators have acted as administrators because of the absence of them. The administrators were either running for the general election or the by-election and re-election or arrested, being involved in corruption charges, including receiving bribes,” and added, “It was decided that a special investigation will be executed from June 9 to July 9 into 27 local governments including Gyeongnam Province and Busan where the level of popular complaints were particularly high.”

The Board decided to focus on the progress of their major project and the propriety of their administrative work for the people, considering that most of the popular complaints were about major projects at a standstill or postponement of cases where the vice administrators were acting as administrators.

“Due to the absence of the administrators, the local government officials have been idle, and we have caught them being indolent at their work in many respects,” said director Lim. “We will reprimand government officials who have been idle, and we will devise betterment plans while working with related ministries, including the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs, if we find problems in the inspection result.”

In addition, the board will centralize its inspection efforts on wrongful acts in which local government officials request the people bear the costs of road construction, not based on any legal binding, or charge several fees during the process of authorizing.

Following is the list of the local governments that will be under special inspection by the Board of Audit and Inspection this time:

Gangdong-gu, Joong-gu, Yeongdeungpo-du, Seoul; Haeundae-gu, Busan; Dong-gu, Buk-gu, Daegu; Dong-gu, Yooseong-gu, Daeduk-gu, Daejon; Bucheon-shi, Hwaseong-shi, Gyeonggi; Cholwon-gun, Gangwon; Chungju-shi, Chungbuk; Dangjin-gun, Chungnam; Imshil-gun, Jeonbuk; Jindo-gun, Shinahn-gun, Hwasun-gun, Jeonnam; Yeongchun-shi, Gyeongsan-shi, Yeongduk-gun, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongbuk; Gyeongnam Province, Changwon-shi, Yangsan-shi; Jeju-shi.

Young-Hae Choi yhchoi65@donga.com