Five Current and Former Seongbuk-gu Office Officials Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Budget by Forging Estimates

Court: "It Cannot Be Justified Simply Because It Was a Practice"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-gi] Five current and former officials of Seongbuk District Office, who conspired with suppliers to forge estimates and embezzle district office budgets, were all sentenced to prison and taken into custody.

On the 14th, Judge Hong Eun-sook of the Seoul Northern District Court Criminal Division 4 announced that Kim (52), a district office official indicted on charges including fraud, was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison; Yoo received 1 year; and three others including Lim were each sentenced to 10 months in prison.

They were charged with embezzling approximately 10 million won each by colluding with office supply suppliers between 2010 and 2018 while working at Seongbuk District Office and other offices, inflating or forging transaction statements for goods.

Among them, four are currently officials but have been suspended from their positions, and one has already retired.

Judge Hong said, "As public officials, they had the duty to lawfully execute the budget for actually delivered goods, but they abused their positions to falsely execute the budget. This cannot be justified simply because it was a common practice."

He added, "Seongbuk District Office and the District Council suffer not only financial damage but also a decline in public trust in other officials' performance of duties, making the nature of the crime very serious. The sentences were determined based on the amounts the defendants received from the suppliers," explaining the reasons for sentencing.

In response, a district office official stated, "We have received the prosecution's investigation materials and will review violations of the Local Public Officials Act and decide on disciplinary measures."