[2022 National Audit] Baehyun Jin Points Out Korea Creative Content Agency's 'Salary Error Concealment' and 'Promotion Privilege Suspicion'

Baek Hyun-jin "If unpaid funds are withdrawn and used elsewhere, it constitutes embezzlement of state funds"
Rep. Bae's office confirms false data submission by Korea Creative Content Agency

On the morning of the 13th, Bae Hyun-jin, a member of the People Power Party, is questioning the Korea Creative Content Agency about the submission of false data during the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's audit of the Korea Creative Content Agency. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Geum Bo-ryeong] Bae Hyun-jin, a member of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the People Power Party, pointed out issues such as 'salary error concealment' and 'promotion favoritism allegations' during the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) audit on the 13th.

On that day, Rep. Bae revealed that KOCCA failed to pay salaries totaling over 26 million won for 273 employees over four months from December 2019 to March 2020 without taking appropriate measures, raising the need for an audit.

According to Rep. Bae’s office, KOCCA underpaid 20.85 million won in 2019 and 4.72 million won in 2020, and only after employees raised concerns did they belatedly settle the correct salaries. At the time, the management headquarters reportedly only sent an email admitting, "We confess that we heavily relied on the handwritten work of the responsible staff," but took no further follow-up actions. It was confirmed that no audit or related procedures were conducted.

Rep. Bae emphasized, "KOCCA is a quasi-governmental agency operated with public funds and is subject to National Assembly audits. If it is revealed through an audit that the unpaid salaries were withdrawn and used elsewhere, it would constitute embezzlement of public funds."

Rep. Bae also criticized the strong internal controversy over preferential promotions in the HR team during the tenure of former KOCCA President Kim Young-jun. According to data submitted by KOCCA to Rep. Bae’s office, from 2018 to February last year, while other departments had 2 to 5 promotions, the HR team had 11 promotions during Kim’s tenure.

Rep. Bae demanded a detailed explanation regarding some HR team members who were promoted ahead of higher-ranked candidates without recommendations from the personnel recommendation committee, calling it an internal personnel abuse controversy.

Rep. Bae also raised concerns about KOCCA submitting false documents. Her office confirmed that the data KOCCA submitted was false, and KOCCA submitted new data a week before the audit. Rep. Bae criticized this, saying, "It raises suspicion of deliberate obstruction of the audit."

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