[Exclusive] Three Oceans and Fisheries Officials Accused of Creating False Official Documents

Association Protests: "We Are a Public Interest Corporation, This Was Intended to Influence the Trial"

The police have launched an investigation following allegations that officials from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries drafted and sent an official document containing false information to the Ministry of Justice.

According to a compilation of reports by The Asia Business Daily on May 6, the West Coast Association (hereinafter referred to as the "Association") filed a police report against three officials from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in April, accusing them of creating and using false official documents.

A police official stated, "The Association’s complaint regarding the creation of a false official document was received on April 8 and is currently under investigation."

The Association claims, "The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries sent a document to the Ministry of Justice containing inquiries that were never made, which appears to be an attempt to influence an ongoing court case."

According to the complaint, at the time, the officials working in the Fisheries Policy Division of the Ministry sent an official letter to the Minister of Justice titled "Inquiry Regarding the Conversion of a Non-Profit Foundation into a Public Interest Corporation."

It is reported that the document stated, "The Association inquired about the procedures and possibility of conversion to a public interest corporation," and, through attached materials, included a statement to the effect that "The Association wishes to be authorized as a public interest corporation in accordance with the Act on Establishment and Operation of Public Interest Corporations."

However, the Association refuted this, saying, "We never requested or inquired with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries about the procedures or possibility of converting to a public interest corporation at that time," and argued, "The Ministry falsely described an organization that is already designated as a public interest corporation and under supervision as if it were not."

A representative of the Association explained, "We completed our application to become a public interest corporation with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in September 2019 and received approval from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and we are currently operating normally."

The representative further expressed frustration, stating, "Even recently, we were re-designated as a public interest corporation for the period from 2025 to 2030. It is puzzling why the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries would now create a false document claiming that we wish to convert."

The Association believes that the Ministry officials attempted to exploit the evidentiary power of the official document by sending it to the Ministry of Justice, which was unaware of its falsehood.

In particular, the Association claims that the background for creating this false document is related to their ongoing legal dispute with the Community Chest of Korea, and that the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries fabricated and submitted false materials to improperly intervene in the trial.

In response, an official from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries stated, "The West Coast Association is a non-profit foundation, not a public interest corporation," and added, "As this occurred before my tenure, I am unable to verify the details."

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