[2025 National Assembly Audit] Fewer On-Site Audits, Why Are More Being Held at the National Assembly?

89 Out of 137 Audits Held at the National Assembly This Year
Driven by Changes in Media Environment and Enhanced Status of the National Assembly
Audited Institutions Also Show Preference for Audits at the National Assembly

It has been found that the proportion of parliamentary audits being conducted at the National Assembly, rather than at the location of the audited institutions, has been steadily increasing. This trend is attributed to the elevated status of the National Assembly and changes in the media environment, which have led to a higher preference for holding audits at the Assembly.

According to an analysis by The Asia Business Daily on October 21, 2025, of the parliamentary audit proceedings over the past five years, the proportion of audits held at the National Assembly has been on the rise. This year, out of 137 parliamentary audits, 89 are being conducted at the Assembly, accounting for 65.0% of the total. In 2021, 111 out of 147 audits were held at the Assembly, representing 75.5%. However, it should be noted that this period was marked by stricter quarantine measures due to COVID-19. In subsequent years, the proportion of audits held at the Assembly was 56.3% in 2022, 65.9% in 2023, and 55.9% last year.

On October 15, 2025, at the Supreme Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Chu Mi-ae, the chairperson of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee, declared the start of the on-site audit. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

There are two main reasons cited in political circles for the increasing number of audits being held at the National Assembly. The first is the changing media environment. As lawmakers' questioning activities are now distributed through platforms such as YouTube and Shorts, locations with better media accessibility, like the Assembly, are preferred. The second factor is the strengthened status of the National Assembly. Additionally, there is a growing tendency for audited institutions themselves to prefer having the audits conducted at the Assembly. On-site audits require the audited institutions to make extensive preparations for the meetings, whereas at the Assembly, preparations are much easier. A National Assembly official stated, "From the perspective of the audited institutions, they sometimes lobby to have the audits held at the Assembly instead of on-site," adding, "When audits are conducted on-site, the burden is greater, such as having to mobilize staff, which is another reason for their preference."

Nevertheless, the importance of on-site audits continues to be emphasized. When audit committee members visit the audited institutions in person, the institutions experience significantly more pressure compared to when audits are held at the Assembly. For example, during the on-site audit of the Supreme Court by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on October 15, it was reported that the Supreme Court felt considerable pressure from the process.