[2021 National Audit] Jang Cheol-min "K-water Falsely Reported 5,057 Business Trips to Sejong Government Complex and National Assembly"

"Thorough Investigation Needed to Restore Public Service Discipline"

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] It has been revealed that 5,057 employees of Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) reported business trips to the Government Sejong Complex and the National Assembly but did not actually go on those trips.

On the 20th, Jang Cheol-min, a member of the Environment and Labor Committee of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea, received access records of K-water employees from the Government Sejong Complex and the National Assembly from January last year to August this year and compared them. The actual number of people who entered the Sejong Complex was 10,143, and 1,244 for the National Assembly, showing a difference of 5,057 compared to K-water’s reported business trips.

During the same period, the number of business trips reported by K-water employees to the Sejong Complex and the National Assembly was 14,474 and 1,970 respectively, totaling 16,444. Among them, 4,331 for the Sejong Complex and 726 for the National Assembly reported business trips but did not actually enter the premises.

Representative Jang pointed out that there are no monitoring or sanction measures against false business trips. The total business trip expenses submitted by K-water to Representative Jang’s office amounted to 770.14 million KRW. However, since K-water employees are not required to submit trip reports or receipts, it is impossible to track the business trip expenses used by those who made false trip reports.

Representative Jang emphasized, "A thorough investigation and audit are absolutely necessary for abnormal business trips," adding, "Going forward, the usage details of business trip expenses and trip reports must be transparently managed to ensure public service discipline is properly maintained."