Geochang-gun Shows Malicious Intent in Information Disclosure Administration 'Data Concealment'

"Criticism Arises Over 'Ignoring the Public's Right to Know'"

Geochang-gun, Gyeongnam Province, is being criticized for ignoring citizens' right to know by providing inadequate information disclosure in response to citizens' information disclosure requests.

Our newspaper requested information disclosure from Geochang-gun regarding the annual sludge (inorganic sludge) generation and treatment status within the Wicheon Seokjae Complex, as well as the enforcement status over the past three years.

Geochang County Office building.

The response only disclosed the three-year treatment status of sludge (inorganic sludge): 2,323 tons in 2021, 3,883 tons in 2022, and 1,810 tons in 2023.

However, Geochang-gun’s decision on the information disclosure request was criticized for being a “non-responsive answer,” revealing a lack of commitment to transparent administration and suggesting an impure intention to “conceal data,” thereby fostering distrust.

Information disclosure allows any citizen of the Republic of Korea to request information from public institutions. The right to request information disclosure is guaranteed by law, and the “Act on Disclosure of Information by Public Agencies” aims to guarantee the public’s right to know, ensure public participation in state affairs, and secure transparency in government operations.

While some specific matters may be confirmed verbally during reporting, related documents are usually obtained through the information disclosure application process to secure clear evidence.

Additionally, under the Information Disclosure Act, public institutions must decide whether to disclose information within 10 days of receiving a request, and may extend this period by up to 10 days if unavoidable.

When a public institution decides to withhold information, it must immediately notify the requester in writing, specifying the reasons for non-disclosure and the methods for appeal.

Despite this, Geochang-gun has only provided an inadequate list and no supporting documents, suggesting an attempt to hide something.

A county official has been making poor excuses regarding information disclosure and has even made statements that question their qualifications as a public servant, while the person in charge has given an absurd response that the investigation has not yet been completed, raising suspicions of negligence in duty.

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