Assemblyman So Byeong-cheol Urges Public Institutions to Improve Mandatory Employment Rate for Persons with Disabilities

Published 31 Aug.2023 00:15(KST)

Submission of Ministry of Justice's Business Promotion Expenses Data Must Satisfy the Public's Right to Know

The Budget and Accounts Subcommittee of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee (Chairman So Byeong-cheol, Member of the National Assembly for the Democratic Party representing Suncheon, Gwangyang, Gokseong, and Gurye (Gap)) was held on the 30th.

On this day, the subcommittee conducted a review of the ‘2022 fiscal year settlement’ for the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Government Legislation, the Board of Audit and Inspection, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, the Constitutional Court, and the Supreme Court.

Chairman So Byeong-cheol urged, "The subcommittee should thoroughly review the legislative purpose and intent of the Ministry of Justice and the Act on the Promotion of Employment for Persons with Disabilities and strictly comply with the statutory mandatory employment rate."
Photo by So Byeong-cheol's Office

Chairman So Byeong-cheol emphasized the ‘need for transparent budget execution inspection’ regarding the Ministry of Justice’s use of business promotion expenses.

When the Ministry of Justice expressed reluctance to disclose detailed usage of business promotion expenses during the settlement review process, stating that “internal audits are already being sufficiently conducted,” he pointed this out.

Chairman So stressed the principle that “the Ministry of Justice must submit the necessary materials for the settlement review to the National Assembly to ensure transparent management,” and pointed out, “We need to check how detailed other ministries disclose and submit their business promotion expenses, and the Ministry of Justice should disclose at the same level.”

He continued, “There has been much controversy over business promotion expenses, and the public is highly interested,” adding, “If it is difficult to disclose even by masking certain personal information, one alternative could be for National Assembly members to directly review the details.”

He also strongly criticized the Ministry of Justice for not complying with the statutory mandatory employment rate for persons with disabilities, saying, “I don’t know how seriously the Ministry of Justice is considering this issue,” and “We must not forget the purpose of the Act on Promotion of Employment of Persons with Disabilities beyond the mere cost issue of paying penalties for failing to meet the statutory employment rate,” and “In a reality where the Paralympics are being held, the Ministry of Justice is making excuses such as ‘martial arts correctional officers’,” highlighting the Ministry’s passive response to mandatory employment of persons with disabilities.

Chairman So said, “The Ministry of Justice, which should set an example in law enforcement, is not meeting the mandatory employment rate for persons with disabilities and is trying to settle it with money. How can public institutions subject to the Act on Promotion of Employment of Persons with Disabilities and private companies with more than 300 employees comply with it?” He urged, “To ensure other ministries, public institutions, and private companies comply, the Ministry of Justice must first thoroughly observe the statutory mandatory employment rate by reviewing the legislative purpose and intent of the Act on Promotion of Employment of Persons with Disabilities.”

Furthermore, when Chairman So pointed out “the Ministry of Justice’s overall inadequate response and questioned that sufficient explanation and submission of materials are priorities for in-depth settlement review,” Deputy Minister of Justice Ino Gong agreed with the criticisms and responded, “We will improve.”