Request for Public Audit to the Board of Audit and Inspection
Urging Measures to Prevent Recurrence
The Daegu Safety Life Practice Citizens' Coalition (Daegu Ansillyeon), a civic group in the Daegu area, announced on the 4th that the Ap-san Haeneomi Camping Site constructed by the Daegu Nam-gu Office was found to have committed multiple violations of the Building Act.
The Ap-san Haeneomi Camping Site in Nam-gu, Daegu, was constructed with a total project cost of 8.3 billion KRW, with construction starting in 2021 and completion on May 10 last year. The camping site facilities include 18 camping units: 5 pension-type buildings, 9 ger-type buildings, and 4 dome-type buildings, along with a parking lot (25 spaces), a management building, and restrooms. However, due to suspicions regarding violations of the Building Act, the pre-approval process for the buildings, and the selection of construction companies, Daegu Ansillyeon filed a public interest audit request with the Board of Audit and Inspection on July 13 last year.
After filing the public interest audit request on July 13 last year, Daegu Ansillyeon received notification of the audit commencement on August 25 last year and awaited the audit results. Despite the on-site audit being completed by the end of last year, the audit period was extended four times?first on February 19 this year, second on May 2, third on July 1, and fourth on August 29?resulting in the audit results being released after 1 year and 3 months.
Under the current Tourism Promotion Act, the total floor area of buildings within a camping site must not exceed 300㎡. However, the total floor area of buildings within the Ap-san Haeneomi Camping Site amounts to 730㎡, including 530㎡ for the camping site, 167㎡ for the management building, and 33㎡ for restrooms, which is more than twice the allowed limit. Furthermore, installing lodging buildings or camping facilities whose main material is not a tent is prohibited.
The main violations revealed in the audit results requested by Daegu Ansillyeon include confirmation that the camping site’s floor area is 730㎡. Other violations include breaches of the Building Act, installation of lodging facilities within a neighborhood park in violation of laws, installation of camping facilities not permitted in neighborhood parks (using aluminum composite panels), construction with general insulation materials different from the specified semi-noncombustible insulation in the design documents, and installation of an astronomical observation facility and a pet playground without following proper administrative procedures, all constituting multiple legal violations. This was identified as a representative case of natural environment destruction caused by reckless populist development pledges and indiscriminate development by a basic local government head, resulting in wasteful public spending due to overall poor management.
Daegu Ansillyeon stated, “The Board of Audit and Inspection, despite knowing that the camping site facilities in the neighborhood park violated the Building Act and that lodging facilities were not allowed, proceeded with the project and did not amend the park development plan. Despite multiple illegalities and administrative procedure violations, only three notifications and three warnings were issued to related officials, and only recommendations for disciplinary action against two Nam-gu Office officials involved in the Ap-san camping site project were made to Daegu City.”
Daegu Ansillyeon added, “Ap-san is a resting place and a comfortable refuge for Daegu citizens, and the project should not have been pushed forward ignoring the legitimacy of the project, opinions of the council and residents, and procedural processes. Especially, all development projects must prioritize 'citizen safety' and 'public interest.' Ignoring project legitimacy, council and resident opinions, and procedural processes to push the project unilaterally is unacceptable.” They urged the Daegu Nam-gu Office head and the Daegu Nam-gu Council to present measures to prevent recurrence.
Daegu Ansillyeon further stated, “Daegu City should also establish special measures to require prior consultation with metropolitan authorities for projects above a certain scale to prevent environmental damage and indiscriminate development caused by populist development pledges pursued by local governments. Additionally, when implementing projects linked with citizens, it is necessary to establish institutional safeguards such as forming a broad citizen review committee including experts, civic groups, and general citizens to ensure projects proceed only after consensus is reached.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
