Yeonggwang County Council Discretionary Project Fund Controversy... Will It Escalate into a Police Investigation? [Breaking News]

Yeonggwang County Council Members, Including Councilor A, Face Allegations of Misusing Discretionary Project Funds
Nine-Term Councilor Kang Pilgu Announces Resignation, Then Abruptly Withdraws
Public Sentiment Ignited... Petitions Filed with Prosecution and Board of Audit and Inspection
Progressive Party and Other Political Circles Call for Police Investigation
Police Question Yeonggwang County Council Officials as Full-Scale Probe Looms

Councilor Kang Pilgu of Yeonggwang County recently declared his resignation taking moral responsibility for the controversy surrounding the 'Yeonggwang County Council Discretionary Project Fund,' but later posted a statement on his Facebook retracting the resignation. Photo by Kang Pilgu

The recent controversy over "councilor discretionary project funds" in the Yeonggwang County Council in South Jeolla Province appears to be expanding into a police investigation. While some view this as a calculated round of expos?s among local political factions ahead of next year's election, there is also a strong sentiment that, given the various suspicions and controversies that have emerged, a clear and decisive outcome is needed.

According to Yeonggwang County, the Yeonggwang County Council, and the police on July 23, multiple councilors, including Councilor A of the Democratic Party of Korea, are suspected of misusing discretionary project funds.

They are suspected of granting preferential treatment to certain local companies, such as Construction Company B, by awarding them several government construction contracts under the pretext of resolving local civil complaints.

As the controversy spread, Kim Kangheon, chair of the Yeonggwang County Council, issued an official apology to county residents and promised measures to prevent a recurrence, attempting to calm the situation.

A view of Yeonggwang County Council

However, Kang Pilgu, a nine-term councilor and the longest-serving basic-level councilor nationwide, recently declared his resignation from the council, taking moral responsibility for the discretionary project fund controversy. He then retracted his resignation, stating, "The councilors who had agreed to resign together did not keep their promise," which reignited public discontent that had begun to subside.

It has been confirmed that some Yeonggwang County residents have submitted petitions to the prosecution and the Board of Audit and Inspection, demanding the truth about the incident. Some political circles, including the Progressive Party, have also called for a thorough police investigation.

According to reports, both the South Jeolla Provincial Police and the Yeonggwang Police are aware of the case and have contacted Yeonggwang County Council officials for information. The police are said to have established an internal policy to launch a full-scale investigation if evidence emerges that the discretionary project funds were used to create improper connections between councilors and companies.

Regarding this, a Yeonggwang County resident commented, "Some in the region view this incident as a controversy fueled by political calculations ahead of next year's election. However, since the use of councilor discretionary project funds has long been a widespread and routine practice in the area, I hope the police investigation will bring everything to light."