Public Institutions Also Invested in Optimus... President Moon Urges "Thorough Investigation" (Comprehensive)

Was the investment decision appropriate and free of flaws?
Thorough investigation ordered into suspected ghostwriting of 'industrial accident exclusion application' by overworked delivery worker
"World's No.1 digital government, result of efforts since DJ era... K-New Deal will also succeed"

President Moon Jae-in is attending the credential presentation ceremony for new ambassadors to Korea at the Blue House on the 16th.

Regarding the trillion-won scale 'Optimus Asset Management Fund Fraud Case,' which is expanding into large-scale political and governmental lobbying suspicions, it has been reported that some public institutions invested in the fund. On the 16th, President Moon Jae-in ordered a strict government-level investigation.

Additionally, President Moon requested thorough supervision concerning suspicions that the agency to which an overworked delivery worker who died from overwork belonged had filled out the application form for exclusion from industrial accident insurance.

◆ Focused Investigation on Whether Public Institutions' Decisions to Invest in Optimus Were Appropriate and if There Were Any Lapses

Kang Min-seok, the Blue House spokesperson, stated at a briefing held at the Press Center that President Moon instructed to "thoroughly examine the circumstances under which public institutions such as the Korea Communications Agency invested in Optimus Asset Management's fund."

Spokesperson Kang added, "Regardless of whether there were losses from the fund investment, the instruction was to also assess whether the investment decisions were appropriate and if there were any lapses."

Public institutions reported to have invested in Optimus include Korea Electric Power Corporation, Korea Racing Authority, Korea Rural Community Corporation, and the Korea Communications Agency.

Investigations into these institutions are expected to be conducted by the government ministries overseeing them. A senior Blue House official explained, "Since these public institutions belong to specific government ministries, the initial investigation will likely be carried out by those ministries."

President Moon Jae-in is requesting a commemorative photo from Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the newly appointed Pakistani Ambassador to Korea, at the credential presentation ceremony for new ambassadors to Korea held at the Blue House on the morning of the 16th.

◆ "Thoroughly Investigate Suspicions of Proxy Writing on Industrial Accident Exclusion Application for Overworked Delivery Worker"

Regarding suspicions that the application for exclusion from industrial accident insurance for Kim Won-jong (48), who died during delivery, was filled out by his affiliated agency, President Moon issued a special order.

Spokesperson Kang conveyed that President Moon instructed, "Conduct thorough supervision and inspection related to industrial safety and health not only for the delivery company involved but also for major delivery companies." In particular, the president urged a strict investigation into the actual situation of industrial accident insurance exclusion applications.

Kang emphasized, "Going forward, the government will check ▲whether the proxy writing suspicions are true and ▲whether the employer is making workers fill out industrial accident applications against their will, and will prepare countermeasures."

Earlier, on the 15th, the National Delivery Solidarity Union held a press conference in front of the Seoul Employment and Labor Office, stating, "The agency head admitted to proxy writing (Kim's industrial accident insurance exclusion application)," and added, "Since the application form, which must be written and signed by the individual, was violated, the exclusion from industrial accident insurance is naturally invalid."

President Moon Jae-in is receiving his credentials from Michael Reiffenstuel, the newly appointed Ambassador of Germany to Korea, at the credential presentation ceremony for new ambassadors held at the Blue House on the morning of the 16th.

◆ "World's No.1 Digital Government... Result of Efforts Since the DJ Administration"

Regarding Korea ranking first in the digital government evaluation, President Moon said, "It is the result of considerable government-level efforts since the Kim Dae-jung administration," and added, "We will do our best to promote the Korean New Deal and ensure the success of the Digital New Deal based on digital competitiveness."

In the '2019 Digital Government Index' evaluation announced by the OECD on the 14th (local time), Korea received the highest score among 33 countries evaluated, with a comprehensive score of 0.742 (out of 1 point). The 'OECD Digital Government Index' is an indicator measuring the level of digital transformation and digital government maturity of member countries and was announced for the first time this year.

The evaluation covered 33 countries (29 member countries and 4 non-member countries) and was measured over two years from 2018 to 2019. The United States, Australia, Switzerland, Hungary, Mexico, Slovakia, Turkey, and Poland were excluded from the evaluation.

In this evaluation, the United Kingdom ranked second with 0.736, followed by Colombia (0.729), Denmark (0.652), Japan (0.645), Canada (0.629), Spain (0.621), and Israel (0.604). The average comprehensive score of the evaluated countries was 0.501.