County Council Administrative Audit: "All Documents from Those Who Claimed to Have Given Them Submitted to Chungnam Province Audit"
Calls Grow to Refrain from Inappropriate Conduct Such as Reporting Related to This Incident
Chungnam Province is conducting an audit regarding allegations of misconduct involving Seocheon County Governor Kim Gi-woong and public officials, amid suspicions of collusion with officials related to the incident.
According to a comprehensive report by Asia Economy on the 23rd, the Chungnam Province Audit Committee has been investigating allegations of misconduct involving Seocheon County officials, Governor Kim, and the governor's wife since the 20th at the Seocheon County Office.
However, there are indications that Governor Kim received reports related to the Chungnam Province audit.
On the 20th, during the administrative audit of the Administrative Welfare Bureau by the Seocheon County Council, Assemblyman Lee Gang-seon (Democratic Party) asked how the series of incidents would be handled. Governor Kim responded, “(Regarding the receipt of luxury bags by my wife) I confidently confirmed this today as well. The person who gave the gift has submitted all their documents to the Chungnam Province audit.”
Because of this, voices are growing that Governor Kim should refrain from inappropriate conduct such as receiving reports related to this incident to ensure a fair audit concerning the allegations involving himself and his wife.
In particular, given the allegations that Governor Kim called public officials to his log cabin after work for pre-election campaigning, contacting related officials raises concerns that, due to the governor’s authority over personnel, it could distort the facts rather than resolve the situation.
Meanwhile, an employee presumed to be a county office official claimed through the Chungnam Provincial Government whistleblower channel that “a team leader-level official gifted a luxury bag, believed to have been purchased at a duty-free shop during a trip to Osaka, Japan in May, to Governor Kim’s wife.”
Additionally, the employee alleged that “county office staff were called to Governor Kim’s log cabin, where they were made to watch promotional videos of the governor and were provided with wine, conspiring in acts of donation and pre-election campaigning.”
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