Preventing a 'Second Yoon Mi-hyang Incident'... Transition Team: "Ministry of the Interior to Promote Full Disclosure of Donations to Civic Groups"

Published 13 Apr.2022 10:34(KST)

Cha Seung-hoon, Deputy Spokesperson of the Presidential Transition Committee

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety is introducing a National Participation Verification System for donation organizations. This appears to be in consideration of the controversy surrounding the embezzlement of donations and subsidies by Yoon Mi-hyang, an independent lawmaker and former chairperson of the Justice and Memory Solidarity (Jeonguiyeon).

On the morning of the 13th, Cha Seung-hoon, deputy spokesperson of the Presidential Transition Committee, announced in a briefing that they had received such a business report from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

The Ministry reported to the transition committee measures such as mandating the use of dedicated accounts for the collection and use of donations by donation organizations, and disclosing detailed expenditure breakdowns by income, project, and item in the 'Donation Integrated Management System' to strengthen public verification.

The Ministry stated, "We expect the spread of a healthy donation culture through enhanced donation transparency," and added, "We will implement the project through collecting opinions from related agencies and improving the donation integrated system."

At the meeting, the transition committee expressed the position that "Since the National Participation Verification System for donation organizations is a campaign pledge of the president-elect, it is necessary to enhance the transparency of income and expenditure of donation organizations and design projects that align with their purposes, ensuring expenditures are made according to established procedures and methods," Deputy Spokesperson Cha conveyed.

Previously, the Board of Audit and Inspection also reported to the transition committee on strengthening oversight of accounting misconduct in civic groups. This includes monitoring the execution details of government subsidies to civic groups. The accounting issues of civic groups became controversial after a 2020 prosecution investigation revealed that Lawmaker Yoon, while serving as chairperson of Jeonguiyeon, embezzled several hundred million won in donations and subsidies.