Jeonnam Police and Jeonnam Office of Education Uncover Corruption in Public Construction Contracts, Total 69 People Detected

Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency building exterior

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] The Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency, investigating corruption in public procurement contracts by the Jeonnam Office of Education, identified a total of 69 individuals. Among them, 2 public officials were arrested and prosecuted, 22 were prosecuted without detention (10 public officials and 12 business operators), and 45 were notified to their respective institutions for fines under the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, concluding the investigation.

On the 5th, the Intelligent Crime Investigation Unit of the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency announced that it had sent 8 public officials from the Jeonnam Office of Education (2 detained, 6 not detained) on charges of bribery, and 4 public officials (not detained) on charges of violating the Act on the Prohibition of Improper Solicitation and Receipt of Money and Valuables to the prosecution.

Two company representatives who supplied products to 62 schools contrary to contract terms were sent to prosecution on suspicion of fraud under the Special Act on the Punishment of Specific Crimes, and 10 brokers and business operators who offered bribes to public officials were sent with a recommendation for prosecution without detention on charges of mediation fees and bribery under the same act.

They are accused of installing lower-specification blackout roll screens than the Public Procurement Service contract conditions while supplying to 62 schools in the Jeonnam area from 2017 to 2018, exchanging bribes and entertainment.

Representatives A (47) and B (46) of the supplying companies were investigated to have won a roll screen project worth approximately 2.8 billion KRW and handed over 1.3 billion KRW to brokers and business operators.

The brokers and others delivered part of this amount to public officials in cash, provided golf entertainment, and gifts, and the public officials were found to have directed unfair contracts.

In relation to this case, 45 more public officials received holiday gifts, and the police reported this as a matter subject to fines under the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act to the relevant institutions.

The police judged that since the selection of supplying companies was entirely at the discretion of the responsible public officials, there was a possibility of lobbying through brokers, which could lead to corruption.

A Jeonnam police official stated, “To prevent harm to students, we have notified the Ministry of Education, the Board of Audit and Inspection, and others to prepare improvement measures for public procurement contracts. We plan to continuously crack down strictly on collusive corruption involving public sector brokers that disrupt fair market order and undermine trust in public procurement administration.”

Meanwhile, the Jeonnam Office of Education announced and has been implementing improvements to the public procurement purchasing methods since August 21, prompted by this incident.

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