[2020 National Audit] Government Office Business Trips Continue Despite COVID-19... Korea Water Resources Corporation 3,100 Cases

Jang Cheol-min "Unnecessary Face-to-Face Meetings Should Be Avoided"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Despite the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), it has been revealed that in-person business trips are continuing at public institutions under the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Environment.

According to the office of Jang Cheol-min, a member of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, the Korea Water Resources Corporation used business trip expenses amounting to over 130 million KRW for 816 people and about 3,100 trips to the Sejong Government Complex from January to August this year. This is an increase compared to the period from January to August 2019, when 916 people made 3,117 trips to the Sejong Government Complex, using about 120 million KRW in business trip expenses.

The Korea Environment Corporation spent over 68 million KRW on meals alone during a total of 758 business trips up to August this year. The Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service recorded the highest number of business trips among public institutions under the Ministry of Employment and Labor, with 599 trips up to August this year.

Assemblyman Jang stated, “To prevent COVID-19 and improve work efficiency, unnecessary face-to-face meetings should be avoided,” adding, “The culture of subordinate and affiliated institutions first going to headquarters for meetings must be eliminated, and infrastructure for non-face-to-face meetings should be established.”

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