"Were Boryeong’s National and Local Heritage Funds Used for Election Campaign Expenses?"

Vice Chairman of Related Association Demands Disclosure of Labor Costs and Work Records

Lim Insik, Vice Chairman of the Korean National Budget Guardians Alliance, is exposing on the 19th at Boryeong City Hall that the books used by Eom Seungyong, a candidate of the People Power Party, during his book publication event remain left in a place suspected to be a ghost office.

There are growing suspicions in Boryeong City, Chungnam Province, that subsidies intended for the preservation of national heritage were paid as salaries to election campaign staff through a disguised election office, stirring controversy in the local community.

It has been revealed that taxpayers' money, which should have been used solely for cultural heritage preservation, was allegedly used to operate a sham election office and pay salaries for managing political organizations, drawing attention to how this situation will unfold moving forward.

Im Insik, Vice Chairman of the Korean National Budget Guardians Association (Cultural Heritage Guardian) and a self-identified member of the People Power Party, held a press conference in Boryeong City on the 19th, stating, "Boryeong's national budget is not the private campaign fund of a particular political power." He called for a public investigation into the suspected structural cartel involving close associates of Representative Jang Donghyuk and the actual status of subsidy management.

The association pointed out, "The 2025 National Heritage Project, 'A Millennium-Old Temple Reborn as a Healing Space,' is a project with a budget of 52.5 million won from both national and local funds," and demanded clarification regarding the execution of labor costs, controversy over actual work attendance, and suspicions of political ties.

They further stressed, "The qualifications and integrity of the mayoral candidate must be scrutinized," adding, "Our intention is to reveal the facts, not to benefit any particular party," drawing a clear line regarding ties to political groups.

The project in question is the 'A Millennium-Old Temple Reborn as a Healing Space' initiative, which was promoted as part of the 2025 'Vivid National Budget Project' and funded by both national and local public funds.

According to the certified copy of corporate registration disclosed by Vice Chairman Im, the head of the Boryeong City Cultural Resources Promotion Foundation, which oversaw the project, is Eom Seungyong, who is currently running for Boryeong mayor.

He further revealed, "The list of executives of this foundation includes key political figures, such as the secretary-general of Representative Jang Donghyuk."

Vice Chairman Im criticized, "This office is essentially being used as a campaign space, as evidenced by the stacks of books from a candidate’s book launch event stored there."

He also warned, "If Eom's side provides an insufficient explanation or if suspicions persist, we will proceed with formal legal action, including filing complaints on behalf of the entire cultural community in Boryeong."

A Boryeong City official stated, "A request for information disclosure has already been filed," adding, "We will monitor developments and verify the facts once the information is made public."

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