3000 Election Commission Staff to be Covered by Liability Insurance... Opposition Raises "Concerns Over Moral Hazard"

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] The National Election Commission is reportedly promoting the subscription of liability insurance to support civil and criminal lawsuits related to the duties of 3,170 employees at various levels of election commissions.

According to data received by Lee Young, a member of the People Power Party, from the Election Commission on the 3rd, the commission issued a bid notice through the Public Procurement Service to subscribe to liability insurance that guarantees up to 30 million KRW for attorney fees and damages when employees face compensation lawsuits, investigations, or criminal lawsuits related to their official duties.

The insurance covers work performed since 2015, and the estimated necessary budget is about 60 million KRW.

This is the first time the Election Commission has proceeded with liability insurance subscription for its employees.

The commission explained, "Although there is currently a support system for lawsuits related to legitimate official duties, limitations in the scope of coverage and support cause difficulties in efficient work performance," adding, "This is to create an environment where employees can work with peace of mind and confidence."

In response, opposition parties criticized the move, expressing concerns about moral hazard.

Park Ki-nyung, deputy spokesperson of the People Power Party Central Election Committee, stated in a comment, "There are worrying voices that biased judgments based on power could lead to moral hazard, thinking that lawsuits can be resolved through insurance," and pointed out, "Some even say this might be a declaration of the beginning of an era of election manipulation."

Regarding this, the Election Commission clarified, "Liability insurance for public officials is a common insurance product supervised by the Ministry of Personnel Management and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety since 2019, with most public officials subscribed. Currently, about 300,000 national public officials and 100,000 local public officials are enrolled."

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