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🇰🇷 South Korea /Crime & Justice

Board of Audit and Inspection chief apologizes for 'coercive' audits

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The chief of South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection apologized for coercive practices and illegal evidence gathering in past audits.
  • Investigations confirmed unlawful methods, including coercion and fabricated evidence, during audits of statistics and the West Sea.
  • The agency will hold responsible parties accountable and is implementing organizational reforms, including establishing a new climate and environment audit division.

The head of South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) has publicly apologized for coercive practices and illegal evidence gathering that occurred during past audits under the previous administration. Kim Ho-cheol, the current BAI chief, stated that investigations confirmed unlawful acts, including coercion, inducement, and the use of distorted evidence, during audits related to statistics and the West Sea.

It has been confirmed that illegal acts such as coercion, inducement, and the use of distorted evidence occurred during the statistical audit and the West Sea audit, which were raised in the parliamentary inquiry.

— Kim Ho-cheolChief of South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection acknowledging wrongdoing in past audits.

"As the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection, I apologize to the public and public officials," Kim said at a ceremony marking the BAI's 78th anniversary. He vowed that "corresponding responsibilities will be imposed and stern measures will be taken against those involved."

The BAI's special committee investigating the aftermath of a parliamentary inquiry found that the statistics audit involved coercive interrogations and statement manipulation of officials from the presidential office and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. The West Sea audit also revealed issues such as illegal digital forensics.

As the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection, I apologize to the public and public officials.

— Kim Ho-cheolChief of South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection offering an apology for the confirmed illegal acts.

In response, the BAI has referred nine officials from the audit teams for criminal charges and recommended severe disciplinary actions, including dismissal and termination, for them. Furthermore, the BAI has sent investigative reference materials on former BAI Chairman Choi Jae-hae, former Secretary-General Yoo Byung-ho, and former Special Audit Bureau Director Kim Sook-dong, who oversaw the audits, to the National Police Agency.

Corresponding responsibilities will be imposed and stern measures will be taken against those involved.

— Kim Ho-cheolChief of South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection promising accountability for those responsible.

Kim emphasized the need to confront and discard past wrongdoings, such as factionalism and the abuse of audit authority, to regain public trust. He announced plans for organizational reforms, including the establishment of a Climate and Environment Audit Division to enhance expertise in climate crisis audits and the expansion of audit organizations for investigative and constitutional bodies.

If we do not face and boldly shed the past wrongdoings, such as the formation of factions and the abuse of audit authority, regaining public trust will be a distant prospect.

— Kim Ho-cheolChief of South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection on the need for reform to restore public confidence.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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