Air Conditioner Stolen from Public Restroom and False Statements to Police
Violation of Regulations to Favor Certain Companies... False Testimony by Supervised Official
Sokcho City, "Will Use All Means to Restore Public Service Discipline"
[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-cheol] As Sokcho City in Gangwon Province becomes embroiled in a series of public official misconduct cases less than a month after the launch of the 8th local government administration, calls are rising for strict law enforcement against moral laxity and urgent measures to prevent recurrence.
According to the Goseong Police Station on the 13th, Sokcho City Hall official Mr. A was caught by the police after stealing an air conditioner and an outdoor unit installed in a public restroom near the Hwareo Fish Center in Jukwang-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gangwon Province, and installing them at his in-laws' residence.
The police have booked and are investigating two people, including Mr. A, a team leader-level official of Sokcho City, on charges of special theft.
During the police investigation, Mr. A claimed that he installed the stolen air conditioner in the home of a solitary elderly person, but the police investigation confirmed that it was installed at Mr. A’s in-laws' house.
Mr. B, who assisted Mr. A in the crime, denied the charges, stating, "I only helped because Mr. A asked me to transport the items, and I did not know that Mr. A intended to steal the air conditioner."
Sokcho City dismissed the two officials from their positions on the 8th, and the police plan to conduct further investigations before handing the case over to the prosecution.
In response, the Sokcho City Council urged the prevention of recurrence, stating, "The public service discipline has gone beyond limits due to Sokcho City Hall officials under police investigation for theft charges."
Previously, allegations of preferential treatment in selecting a company for the construction of a tourist theme facility at Sokcho Beach have surfaced, and the police are investigating.
The Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit of the Gangwon Provincial Police Agency conducted a search and seizure of the Sokcho City Hall Tourism Department office and other locations on the 4th, securing related materials.
According to the police, during the process of constructing the tourist theme facility, which Sokcho City promoted as a private investment project in 2020 and is currently operational, allegations arose that the city favored a specific company, leading to an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection.
The Board of Audit and Inspection confirmed that Sokcho City violated regulations by announcing the public recruitment guidelines and calculating evaluation scores favorably for a specific company, and referred the matter to the police for investigation.
The Board notified the city to impose suspension penalties on two employees involved in the project and a warning on another employee.
Meanwhile, additional allegations of perjury against the officials involved have emerged.
Kang Jeong-ho, a Gangwon Provincial Assembly member representing Sokcho, stated on the same day, "While reviewing the audit report from the Board of Audit and Inspection, I discovered perjury that contradicted the audit results during the 2020 and 2021 Sokcho City administrative audits by a responsible department head who appeared as a witness, and have filed a complaint through legal counsel."
Sokcho City stated, "We will do our best to establish a proper public service culture and restore administrative stability early by utilizing all possible means to establish strict public service discipline."
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