2023-10-11 16:38:33
▲ Panoramic view of the Board of Audit and Inspection. Yonhap News It was revealed in an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection that Chae Hee-bong, former president of Korea Gas Corporation, stayed in a hotel suite costing 2.6 million won per night while visiting London, England, during his tenure in April last year for three days. The upper limit for overseas accommodation expenses for ministerial-level government officials is 950,000 won, but they spent much more than that. The reason why this ‘emperor’s accommodation’ was possible is because KOGAS allows unlimited overseas business trip lodging expenses for executives and high-ranking executives in its ‘travel expense regulations’. Former President Chae’s shameless behavior is surprising, but it is shocking that a public institution, not a private company, has not set an upper limit on accommodation expenses for overseas business trips.
KOGAS’ financial soundness has deteriorated significantly, recording receivables worth 8.6 trillion won last year. Losses soared as the Moon Jae-in administration postponed gas rate increases for price stability. Former President Chae served as the Blue House Industrial Policy Secretary under the Moon administration and then served as the head of the Korea Gas Corporation from 2019 to the end of last year. He was a leading figure in the Moon administration’s nuclear phase-out policy and was indicted on charges of abuse of power in connection with the early closure of the Wolseong nuclear power plant. Even though he caused enormous economic damage to the country through his wrong policies, he spent millions of won on one night’s sleep.
Former President Chae is not the only one to blame. Looking at the audit report on ‘Financial Soundness and Management Status of Public Institutions’ released by the Board of Audit and Inspection the day before yesterday, it is devastating to see where the negligent management and moral hazard of public institutions will end. The Korea Rural Community Corporation provided 5,690 laptops worth 7.7 billion won to all employees in grade 3 or lower, and the Korea Land and Housing Corporation ran an in-house university attended by only 12 employees and hired 57 retirees as part-time instructors to take care of their families. Several illegal and abusive behaviors by public institution employees were also discovered. In addition to strengthening management and supervision of public institutions, rapid implementation of innovation is necessary.
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