The Democratic Party council members of Changwon Special City Council in Gyeongnam announced on September 9 that they have requested an investigation by Changwon Jungbu Police Station into allegations of official document forgery and alteration, abuse of authority, and other charges against the former auditor of Changwon City.
The Democratic Party council members claimed that the former auditor engaged in conduct that could be seen as a targeted audit of major projects promoted by the previous mayor of Changwon City, who was affiliated with the Democratic Party.
They emphasized that the former auditor conducted unjustified audits or concealed information regarding the Masan Marine New Town Project, the Jinhae Ungdong District 1 Development Project, and the Liquefied Hydrogen Plant Project, and attempted to influence related trials or investigations by submitting audit materials to the court.
They stated, "The conduct of the former auditor is a serious matter that undermines the fairness and credibility of Changwon City's administration," and strongly urged, "We call for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth and restore trust in Changwon City's administration."
The former auditor was appointed to the open position of auditor of Changwon City after former mayor Hong Nampyo of the People Power Party took office in 2022, and completed his term in July of this year without an extension.
Previously, he announced the results of audits on the Masan Marine New Town public contest project and the Saha and Daesang Park audits, which allegedly influenced the National Assembly election bid of Heo Seongmu, the former mayor of Changwon City and current National Assembly member. He was accused of violating the Public Official Election Act and was reported to the police, but all charges were dropped.
During his tenure, he refuted suspicions of targeted audits, stating, "The matters in question were clearly deemed illegal based on relevant laws and authoritative interpretations from the responsible ministries, and the audits were conducted in accordance with principles."
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