Discipline in the Public Sector Under Scrutiny
"Not a Custom, but a Crime"
Undermining Regional Trust
The Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit of the Daegu Police Agency, led by Chief Superintendent Jang Chan-ik, has taken direct aim at widespread irregularities in the public sector, including false claims for local council travel expenses and recruitment corruption at local governments.
Daegu Police Agency logo. Photo by Byunggun Kwon
The police identified and referred a total of 29 individuals-including public officials, council members, and travel agency personnel-to the prosecution. This case has sent shockwaves through the region, as it fundamentally undermines the integrity and trustworthiness of the local public sector.
According to the police, the “Daegu Buk-gu District Office environmental worker recruitment corruption” case, which was triggered by an investigation request from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, led to the referral of six public officials, including the district office head, and one public worker to the prosecution on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means.
They were found to have compromised the fairness of recruitment procedures by granting preferential treatment to two specific individuals.
In a separate investigation into “false claims for overseas business trip expenses by local councils,” a total of 22 people-including one district council member, 13 council staff, and eight travel agency employees-were referred to the prosecution on charges such as breach of duty.
They are accused of inflating airfare costs and overcharging for travel expenses during overseas trips over the past three years (from September 2022 to June 2024). The resulting budget losses ranged from 1.46 million to 12.7 million won per council, totaling approximately 38 million won.
Notably, among the six councils investigated (Daegu City, Dong, Seo, Buk, Dalseo, and Gunwi), council staff were directly involved in the false claims at four councils (Dong, Seo, Dalseo, and Gunwi), while in the remaining two, the travel agencies acted alone.
Jang Chan-ik, Head of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit, stated, “The moral laxity within the public sector is the biggest factor undermining trust in local administration,” adding, “We will combine strong enforcement with institutional reforms to prevent similar cases from recurring.”
This case goes beyond simple budget fraud or recruitment corruption; it starkly reveals how far the integrity and ethical standards of local public institutions have fallen. Privileges and expedient practices, disguised as ‘customs,’ ultimately constitute crimes that erode taxpayers’ money. Unless the public sector demonstrates a willingness for self-purification, institutional controls alone are unlikely to restore public trust.
Daegu police plan to use this investigation as an opportunity to strengthen oversight and management systems for personnel and budget execution in public institutions, while continuously expanding their anti-corruption investigative capabilities.
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