73 Trillion Won Education Office Grants, Including North Korea Aid and Interest-Free Loans for Public Officials [2022 National Audit]

Gyeonggi and Jeonbuk Offices of Education Use 2 Billion Won to Support North Korea with Baby Formula, Paper, and Medical Devices
Jeonnam and Jeonbuk Offices of Education Execute 31.8 Billion Won in Interest-Free Loans for Public Officials
Gangwon Province Plans to Implement 100 Million Won Interest-Free Loans Starting Next Year

The above photo is not related to the article. / Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] As of this year, local education finance grants, which have increased to 73 trillion won, were found to have been used for North Korea aid and interest-free rental loans for public officials.

On the 5th, Song Eon-seok, a member of the People Power Party from the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee, analyzed data submitted by the Ministry of Education and metropolitan and provincial offices of education. The local education finance grants have steadily increased since 2017, currently reaching 73.8 trillion won, with 10.4 trillion won accumulated in fund form.

In particular, the number of funds established by metropolitan and provincial offices of education increased from only 9 at the beginning of the Moon Jae-in administration in 2017 to 52 currently. The accumulated fund amount was 10.4 trillion won, with a current balance of 8.6 trillion won.

Among these, eight metropolitan and provincial offices of education established a 'Inter-Korean Education Exchange Cooperation Fund' worth 17.4 billion won to independently create a financial base for North Korea-related projects. In fact, Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education and Jeonbuk Provincial Office of Education used this fund to directly support North Korea with 2 billion won in 2020 and 2021 for items such as powdered milk, paper, and medical devices. This amount was larger than the 1.2 billion won worth of goods supported by the Ministry of Unification through private organizations during the same period. Additionally, Gangwon Provincial Office of Education used 1.9 billion won from the Inter-Korean Education Exchange Cooperation Fund for infrastructure projects called 'Jejin Station, Peace Train Experience Center to Unification Road' and supported 100 million won for the production of a documentary by a specific broadcasting company.

Through the fund, Jeonnam and Gyeongbuk Provincial Offices of Education created housing rental support funds for public officials, providing interest-free loans for jeonse and monthly rent. Jeonnam raised 21 billion won and Gyeongbuk 14.4 billion won, lending a total of 31.8 billion won, with 20 billion won and 11.8 billion won respectively. Gangwon Provincial Office of Education established a 50 billion won fund for jeonse loan through an ordinance this year and plans to implement interest-free loans with a limit of 100 million won starting next year.

Assemblyman Song Eon-seok criticized, "The taxpayers' money, which should be used to improve our students' educational environment and welfare, was used as a means for education offices to participate in 'North Korea largesse' during the Moon Jae-in administration," and pointed out, "Since the funds of education offices are also raised with taxpayers' money, the system should be improved so that the establishment and use of funds can be controlled by law."

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