[Exclusive] "Giving Luxury Bags to the County Chief's Wife... Receiving Whiskey from Contractors" Seocheon-gun Public Service Community in Turmoil

At Chungnam Provincial Government's National Petition Office: "Strict Investigation Needed for a Trustworthy Public Service"
Official Involved: "Completely False... Never Even Near the Duty-Free Shop"

Jeon-gyeong of Seocheon County Office

Allegations have been raised regarding the gift of a luxury handbag to the wife of Kim Gi-woong, the mayor of Seocheon County, on the Chungnam Provincial Government's National Petition Board.

A person identified as A, presumed to be an employee working at Seocheon County Office, filed a report on the Chungnam Provincial Government's National Petition Board and Public Interest Reporting section on the 3rd, accusing Mayor Kim and team leader B at the county office of donation activities and conspiracy for pre-election campaigning.

In the report, A claimed, "Another public official, C, gifted a luxury handbag, believed to have been purchased at a duty-free shop during a trip to Osaka, Japan, in May, to Mayor Kim's wife."

It is known that C asked B to "introduce Mayor Kim's wife" and then had a meal with two to three team leader-level public officials.

A also stated, "On May 12, Mayor Kim, Director D, and five other public officials played golf at Gunsan CC and later received whiskey and meal expenses from a local construction company representative at a restaurant near the Geumgang Estuary Bank in Seocheon."

A further alleged, "B flaunts close ties with the mayor and his wife, and there is a rumor that if you want to request personnel favors, you must go through B. It is openly said that I will definitely be promoted to the rank of administrative officer in this regular personnel reshuffle."

He then demanded, "Please conduct a thorough investigation and take action to ensure that hardworking individuals are recognized and that a trustworthy public service society is realized based on ability rather than flattery."

In response, C said, "I went on a trip to Japan in May with family and staff, but the claim that I gifted a luxury handbag to the mayor's wife is completely false. I did not even go near the duty-free shop," adding, "I had a meal with the mayor's wife as a thank-you for her kind words about me, along with my staff."

Director D explained, "On May 12, there was the Chungnam Governor's Cup golf tournament, which I attended with the mayor. During dinner, a construction company representative left whiskey behind, and the meal expenses were paid by card. I returned the whiskey, canceled the card payment for the meal, and paid the bill directly with membership fees."

He added, "The canceled card receipt will be requested from the card company and submitted to the audit department." The Seocheon County Office audit department received related materials from the Chungnam Provincial Government on the 4th and is currently verifying the facts.