Gyeonggi-do Pays 10.2 Million Won to 7 Whistleblowers Reporting Misappropriation of Subsidies at Local Children's Centers

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province will pay a reward of 1.5 million KRW to a whistleblower who reported a center director embezzling about 17 million KRW in subsidies for local children's centers, including meal expenses and program operation costs.

On the 12th, the province announced that it held the 2nd Gyeonggi Province Public Interest Whistleblowing Support Committee meeting for 2022 on the 30th of last month and decided to pay a total of 10.2 million KRW in rewards to seven whistleblowers who reported misuse of local children's center subsidies, unqualified persons constructing houses, and storage of hazardous materials in unauthorized locations.

Based on reports received through the 'Gyeonggi Province Public Interest Whistleblowing Hotline,' the investigation found that the director of a local children's center in B area, A city, inflated meal expenses to make fraudulent claims, used the funds to purchase personal food ingredients, excessively paid program operation and instructor fees from subsidies, and then refunded the difference to their personal account, embezzling a total of 17.83 million KRW in subsidies.

As a result of this report, A city recovered the entire amount of subsidies privately misused by the facility director and replaced the director. The director was also fined.

Jang Seong-geun, chairman of the Gyeonggi Province Public Interest Whistleblowing Support Committee, stated, "This report uncovered that national subsidies intended for children requiring social care were privately used," and added, "It was decided to pay a reward of 1.5 million KRW to the whistleblower."

Additionally, the province decided to pay a reward of 3 million KRW to a whistleblower who reported an unqualified person who obtained a construction license by renting a certificate and constructed a house, leading to the deregistration of the unqualified construction company.

Furthermore, a whistleblower who reported a mask manufacturer falsely labeling approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and expiration dates, resulting in a fine for violating the 'Pharmaceutical Affairs Act,' will receive a reward of 2.1 million KRW.

The province also decided to reward two whistleblowers who contributed to preventing safety accidents by reporting hazardous situations they happened to witness.

One person reported after seeing paint piled up at a ranch, raising concerns about hazardous material safety, and the other took photos and reported construction vehicles lighting fires under an expressway while riding a bicycle.

Those wishing to make public interest reports can do so through the dedicated reporting channel, the 'Gyeonggi Province Public Interest Whistleblowing Hotline.'

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