Former Busan Superintendent Kim Seok-jun Reported to Prosecution for Abuse of Authority … Busan Education Office States “Extension of Former Auditor’s Appointment is Illegal”

Busan Metropolitan Office of Education.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education has reported the former superintendent to the prosecution for abuse of authority.

On the 4th, the Busan Office of Education announced that it had reported former Superintendent Kim Seok-jun to the prosecution on charges including abuse of authority in relation to the illegal extension of the former auditor's appointment.

Following media reports in June alleging preferential treatment regarding the extension of the former auditor's term and criticisms from the Busan City Council, the Busan Office of Education launched a special audit on the extension of the former auditor's appointment from July 15 to the end of September.

The audit revealed that although the "Act on Public Audits" stipulates that the term of the head of the audit organization shall not exceed five years, the former auditor, who had completed a full five-year term from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020, was illegally reappointed for an additional two years from January 2021 to December 2022.

Furthermore, it was confirmed that despite the illegal appointment being exposed in June 2021, the appointment was maintained without correction.

According to the Busan Office of Education, former Superintendent Kim Seok-jun cited the amendment of the "Regulations on the Operation of Open and Competitive Positions in Local Governments," which does not apply to auditors and allows for a "10-year possible appointment," and instructed the extension of the auditor's appointment.

Even after reports in June 2021 pointed out the need to rectify the illegal extension, he reportedly abused his personnel authority as the head of the institution by repeatedly ordering the maintenance of the appointment.

The Office of Education explained that since the former auditor had served as an aide to former Superintendent Kim since 2014, there is suspicion of improper solicitation related to the illegal appointment extension, but it could not be clarified through the audit alone, leading to the decision to file a complaint.

Kim Dong-hyun, Auditor of the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education, said, "Taking this special audit as an opportunity, we will create a clean public service culture where the possibility of abuse of authority by public officials is preemptively blocked and unjust work orders can be confidently refused."

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