Decision to Disclose Minutes of the Special Committee on Administrative Audit in Paju City Council
Paju City Announces Strong Response to Baseless Malicious Allegations
Gyeonggi Paju City (Mayor Kim Kyung-il) expressed a welcoming stance on the 17th regarding the final approval of the 'Disclosure of Minutes of the Special Committee on the Selection and Business Promotion of Waste Disposal Companies in Paju City' at the 2nd plenary session of the 255th Paju City Council temporary meeting held on the 16th, with 8 votes in favor and 7 against out of 15 members present.
Paju City evaluates this decision to disclose the minutes as a very meaningful measure, as it allows for verification of the facts and clear explanations regarding the unilateral suspicions raised in the administrative audit report sent to Paju City without specific circumstances, evidence, or supporting documents.
Earlier, on January 13, Paju City pointed out that the administrative audit report sent by the Paju City Council lacked specific circumstances or evidence and stated that "basic facts such as who, when, what, and how were not even recorded." Accordingly, the city requested the submission of copies of the minutes in accordance with Article 84, Paragraph 3 of the Local Autonomy Act.
However, due to opposition from the members of the Special Committee on Administrative Audit (Chairman Son Seong-ik of the Democratic Party), no materials were provided for over three months.
Additionally, regarding some members of the audit committee arguing that "disclosing testimony given under the premise of a closed meeting undermines the credibility of the city council and violates witness protection," the audit committee stated, "It is a serious procedural flaw to raise suspicions based solely on testimony without investigating and verifying whether the witness's statements are factual." They further strongly criticized that "keeping the minutes confidential under the pretext of witness protection is an act against the public's right to know and the responsible attitude of the council."
A Paju City official said, "Although we held several consultations with the Secretariat of the Paju City Council, we faced great difficulties in securing materials due to opposition from the audit committee members," adding, "With the approval of the disclosure of the minutes at this plenary session, we expect it to serve as an opportunity to enhance administrative transparency and accountability."
He continued, "This matter is a serious issue that wasted administrative resources, as it was repeatedly raised by the audit committee despite being clearly proven false through multiple verifications, including a police investigation in April last year, an administrative audit by the Paju City Council in June of the same year, and the dismissal of a public interest audit request by the Board of Audit and Inspection in January this year." He emphasized, "We demand responsible explanations and an official apology to the citizens of Paju for the indiscriminate allegations, and we will strictly hold legal responsibility for any illegal acts during the investigation process."
Meanwhile, Paju City announced that as soon as the minutes and related materials are submitted by the council, they plan to thoroughly review the suspicions raised in the administrative audit report, determine their truthfulness, and take lawful and prompt actions.
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