Yoon directs Office of Public Service Discipline Secretary after Audit Office announcement
Presidential Office: "Disciplinary requests and investigations possible based on inspection results"
President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 14th ordered a thorough investigation into the entire decision-making line of the solar power project following the Board of Audit and Inspection's (BAI) findings of corruption in the solar power business. This move came after the BAI uncovered large-scale corruption allegations in major renewable energy projects, including solar power, conducted during the Moon Jae-in administration, raising the possibility of expanding the investigation to key figures who held important positions during that government.
Lee Do-woon, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, told reporters at the Yongsan Presidential Office that President Yoon had given such instructions to the Office of Public Service Discipline.
When asked whether it was possible to investigate the decision-making line of the previous administration, a Presidential Office official explained, "It is not about scrutinizing the previous administration’s decision-making line, but about examining the line related to solar power corruption," adding, "Although the BAI conducted an audit, this is a public service inspection to cover what was missed." The official further stated, "Depending on the inspection results, disciplinary actions may be requested, and if legal violations are clear, it could lead to investigations."
The official continued, "There are matters to be revealed through audits regarding serious corruption, matters to be uncovered through investigations, and parts that require inspection," adding, "The Office of Public Service Discipline handles the inspection part. This could also lead to other investigations or audits."
The day before, the BAI announced that it had detected corruption allegations in renewable energy projects such as solar and wind power conducted during the previous administration and referred a total of 38 people, including local government heads and ministry officials, to the prosecution for investigation. This was the result of an inspection of renewable energy projects suspected of preferential treatment and corruption from October last year to February this year, revealing cases where public officials colluded with private companies to provide preferential treatment in permits and contracts. Some of them obtained project rights through false documents or received improper government subsidies.
Looking at the cases of preferential treatment and corruption detected by the BAI, collusion between private companies and officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy was confirmed during the approval process of the Anmyeondo solar power plant in Taean-gun, Chungnam Province, which was promoted as the largest private-led solar power complex in Korea. The solar power development company pursued the construction plan for the Anmyeondo plant in 2018-2019 but attempted to lobby ministry officials during the land use change process. During this process, the official land price of the site rose significantly, and the official later became the CEO of the company after retirement.
It was also revealed that when Gunsan City in Jeonbuk Province promoted a 99MW solar power project in October 2020, preferential treatment was given to a specific company whose CEO was a high school alumnus of the then mayor of Gunsan. The mayor instructed staff to resolve the joint guarantee condition and, when facing funding issues, renegotiated a funding agreement with another financial institution offering a higher interest rate, causing significant interest losses.
The BAI stated its intention to continue auditing renewable energy projects. Although not included in the current investigation request, it is reviewing cases where many executives and employees of public institutions related to solar power are conducting solar power businesses under their own or family members’ names. The BAI has identified about 250 suspected cases of misconduct across eight related institutions, including Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), and is considering requesting investigations.
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