MOGAHA Releases Report on 148 Government-Funded Projects

In many cases, nonprofit private organizations that received subsidies from the government have used the money improperly. This was reported in the Comprehensive 2006 Non-Profit Private Organization Assistance Project Evaluation Report conducted by Korea University’s Governance Research Institute at the request of the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs (MOGAHA).

According to a report that GNP lawmaker Lee Sang-bae received on Wednesday, the environmental organization Environment and Life received 27 million won to hold a meeting to seek a national consensus on tap water fluoridation. However, the organization failed to organize a coordination committee and failed to proceed with the project.

The Voters Association For a Clean Election also received 13.81 million won, but there are no records on any of its activities.

The report particularly pointed out insufficient accounting practices of organizations. The report assessed that among 148 subsidized projects, accounting on 34 projects was insufficient.

The Solidarity for Practice of the South-North Joint Declaration received 30 million won last year for a Korean peninsula peace regime establishment campaign. However, its insufficient accounting records were pointed out in the report.

“There was a material difference between the initial plan for the subsidies and their actual use,” said the report.

The Labor Human Rights Center was also singled out for its insufficient accounting records.

There were organizations whose actual use of subsidies differed from their initial plan. The YMCA Korea received 50 million won for young adult peace education, but actually used the money for FTA programs. The report pointed out that diverse events are needed, but the most important need is balanced program production.

“After an accounting assessment, we will order the organizations that have sluggish performance to refund the subsidies,” said an official of MOGAHA.

The ministry is selecting organizations to give out subsidies to 413 non-profit organizations that have requested aid.

The Ministry plans to not give out subsidies to organizations that have conducted illegal violent demonstrations, but some organizations that fit into the category have applied for subsidies this year.

ditto@donga.com