Tourism Economy Committee Calls for Solution to Embezzlement Case by Mokpo City Sports Council Staff

[Mokpo=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Hyeong-seok] The Tourism and Economy Committee of the Mokpo City Council announced on the 22nd that all members of the committee attended and received a business report from Mokpo City regarding the ‘Mokpo City Sports Association Employee Embezzlement Case’ (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Embezzlement Case’).

The ‘Embezzlement Case’ involves an accounting staff member of the Mokpo City Sports Association who is accused of embezzling approximately 480 million KRW from March 30 to July 7, including city subsidies such as wages for community sports instructors and the Sports Association’s own operating funds. The case was reported to the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency by the Mokpo City Sports Association on the 18th of this month.

Regarding the embezzlement case, the city council members of the Tourism and Economy Committee, who received a report from the Mokpo City Education and Sports Department head, criticized, “Although the Mokpo City Sports Association is an independent private organization legally incorporated, since it receives subsidies from Mokpo City, management and supervision should have been more thorough.”

They urged prompt measures to secure recovery of the embezzled funds, including asset seizure, emphasizing that the embezzled money is taxpayers’ money.

Additionally, although the Mokpo City Sports Association is an independent private organization legally incorporated, since the employees who did not receive wages are citizens, they called for measures to prevent harm to the employees.

Furthermore, since the city provides subsidies to various social organizations, it suggested management improvements such as operating a comparative review system when disbursing funds and paying subsidies monthly to prevent recurrence of similar incidents. It also urged the Mokpo City Sports Association, the party involved in the case, to express their views and prepare responsible self-help measures.

Kim Gwan-ho, chairman of the Tourism and Economy Committee, stated, “We will make continuous efforts and maintain the council’s attention to ensure this case is resolved smoothly,” and added, “Mokpo City must play an active role as the subsidy manager and supervisor to resolve this issue.”