Public Official Embezzling Over 5.6 Billion Won in Subsidies... Changnyeong County Mayor Han Jeong-woo, Who Turned a Blind Eye, Sent to Prosecution

A view of Changnyeong County Office. / Provided by Changnyeong County

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Ju Cheol-in] The police have sent Changnyeong County Governor Han Jeong-woo and officials of the Changnyeong County Sports Council to the prosecution in connection with the 'Changnyeong County Sports Council Subsidy Embezzlement' case.

Changnyeong Police Station announced on the 23rd that they have sent Governor Han Jeong-woo to the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office Miryang Branch without detention on charges of breach of duty.

Officials of the Sports Council, Mr. A, who is accused of embezzling subsidies by unauthorized transfers from the subsidy account to his own account (embezzlement in the course of duty), and employee Mr. B, who is accused of forging documents (forgery of private documents), were also sent to the prosecution.

Governor Han, who is the ex officio president of the Changnyeong County Sports Council, is accused of knowing about the embezzlement by the accounting staff of the Changnyeong County Sports Council, which receives annual subsidies from Changnyeong County, but failing to take timely action.

Mr. A was found by the Gyeongnam Province audit to have illegally and improperly withdrawn and embezzled about 5.655 billion KRW in subsidies from the Changnyeong County Sports Council subsidy account over approximately 300 transactions from 2013 to last year.

Also, employee Mr. B of the Sports Council reportedly did not take administrative or legal actions such as filing complaints and did not report to the supervisory agency, Changnyeong County Office, trusting only Mr. A's promise to repay despite knowing about Mr. A's embezzlement.

After the Gyeongnam Province audit results became known, a local civic group filed charges against the embezzlers and Governor Han for embezzlement, breach of trust, and violations of the Public Official Election Act.

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