[2020 National Audit] Jeong Jae-hoon: "If the Board of Audit holds me accountable, I will take responsibility"

October 15 Mountain Environment Committee Audit... Focused Questions on Board of Audit and Inspection's Imminent Audit of Wolseong Unit 1 Economic Feasibility Evaluation

Jaehoon Jeong, President of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, appears on the morning of the 15th at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, attending the National Assembly inspection by the Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Venture Business Committee on Korea Electric Power Corporation, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Korea South-East Power, etc., providing a report to the members. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chae-seok] "The position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) carries overall responsibility. If the Board of Audit and Inspection holds me appropriately accountable, I will naturally take (legal) responsibility."

As the Board of Audit and Inspection is scheduled to announce as early as next Monday the audit results on the appropriateness of the decision to prematurely shut down Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, Jeong Jae-hoon, CEO of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, said this at the National Assembly audit on the 15th.

Jeong, who participated in the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee, responded "I think it is natural" to the question from Kwon Myung-ho of the People Power Party, "Do you think the top person in charge should take responsibility when a wrong decision is made?"

Kwon asked why Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power stopped the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant, which had been extended for operation by a board meeting in June 2018.

Jeong answered, "We explained to the board that the early shutdown was decided from Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's standpoint to minimize uncertainty by comprehensively reviewing government policy cooperation, regulatory environment, social acceptability, and economic feasibility."

Kwon asked, "The administration is a single five-year term, so if the next government operates policy in a different direction, will the CEO of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power follow that?" Jeong replied, "Public enterprises have a basic obligation to cooperate with government policies."

Kwon asked, "Was there a legal review conducted by the law firms Taepyungyang and Daeryuk Aju before the June 2018 board meeting?" Jeong answered, "Yes."

Kwon inquired, "Was the legal review conducted because the CEO and board members took actions for which they should be held responsible in the decision-making process?" Jeong said, "That was also one of the reasons."

Kwon asked, "In the 'Job Performance Plan' written in March 2018 as a candidate for CEO of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, you wrote your determination to have Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power make a decision within the year if possible. Does that mean you had already decided to shut down according to the government's preference once you became CEO?"

Jeong replied, "That is completely different from the nuance."

Kwon asked, "Before your inauguration, you mentioned the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1 and the cancellation of new nuclear power plant construction. Did you have any prior consultation with the Blue House or the government?" Jeong answered, "No, I did not."

Kwon said, "The audit results on the appropriateness of the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1 are expected soon. If it is concluded that the early shutdown was not appropriate, should the CEO, as the top person responsible, take responsibility?"

Jeong said, "If I am legally responsible, I will naturally take responsibility."

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