[2020 National Audit] Korea Meteorological Administration's Exclusive Contracts with Specific Companies... 51 Cases in 4 Years

Jang Cheol-min "We Must Completely Eradicate Budget Misuse"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] It has been revealed that the Korea Meteorological Administration's improper accounting practices, caused by multiple small-value private contracts with specific companies and the division of small-scale facility construction orders, have been repeated every year.

According to data submitted by the Korea Meteorological Administration to Jang Cheol-min, a member of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, the administration signed a total of 51 private contracts (approximately 270 million KRW) over the past four years with Company A for equipment purchase and maintenance, splitting estimates to under 20 million KRW to avoid public bidding. Manufacturing, purchase, or service contracts for items with an estimated price under 20 million KRW can be privately contracted without separate bidding announcements.

Additionally, over the past 5 to 6 years, the Korea Meteorological Administration has split estimates under 20 million KRW and signed a total of 45 private contracts (approximately 300 million KRW) with Company B and 15 contracts (approximately 170 million KRW) with Company C. To avoid the prohibition on separate orders for single construction projects under the Enforcement Decree of the State Contract Act, estimates were divided into multiple projects under 20 million KRW. Although the internal audit office of the Korea Meteorological Administration was aware of this, it only issued cautionary measures each time.

Assemblyman Jang said, “As a national institution operated with the people's tax money, strict compliance with the law is necessary to execute the budget without suspicion,” and added, “The improper use of the budget detected every year should not be left at the level of caution but must be completely eradicated.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.