'25 Million Won in Work Promotion Expenses in 100 Days'...Suspicions of 'Authoritarian Election' Surround Kim Kiwoong, Seocheon County Head

On the 14th, Lee Gangseon, a member of the Seocheon County Council in Chungnam, held a press conference and raised suspicions of "electioneering by government officials" related to the execution of Mayor Kim Kiwoong's business promotion expenses in Seocheon County. Photo by Lee Byeongryul

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Suspicions of an 'authoritarian election' have been raised regarding the expenditure of work promotion expenses by Kim Kiwoong, head of Seocheon County in Chungnam, who is under investigation by the prosecution on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act.

On April 14, Lee Kangseon, a Seocheon County Council member from the Democratic Party of Korea, claimed that County Head Kim used work promotion expenses for entertainment-type gatherings ahead of the June 3 local elections.

Assemblyman Lee held a press conference at the Seocheon County Office's External Cooperation Room on the same day and revealed, "From January this year until the 10th, County Head Kim executed 61 work promotion expense items for institution management, totaling 24,328,700 won."

This amount represents 54.2% of County Head Kim's annual work promotion budget of 44,880,000 won, meaning more than half was spent in just over 100 days at the beginning of the year.

In particular, a significant portion of the expenditures was confirmed to be entertainment-related, such as providing meals for county office and 13 township employees.

Assemblyman Lee argued, "Entertainment-type expenditures concentrated in specific periods and on specific groups deviate from the purpose and principles of work promotion expenses."

He further pointed out, "Given the timing ahead of the election, there are concerns that this may be an attempt to expand influence using official authority."

Assemblyman Lee also raised suspicions of duplicate execution of work promotion expenses by County Head Kim.

According to Assemblyman Lee, for the 'meal provided to encourage staff at Jongcheon Township Office' on the 7th, it was confirmed that both the county head's work promotion expenses and the township office's work promotion expenses were recorded for the same time, location, and number of people.

Lee stated, "If this was a single event, it goes beyond simple impropriety and raises the possibility of double accounting," demanding the disclosure of relevant supporting documents.

He also mentioned that County Head Kim has been referred to the prosecution on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act, emphasizing, "As the region's highest official is facing both legal risks and controversy over budget execution, a responsible explanation to the residents is necessary."

Assemblyman Lee demanded the following: full disclosure of the standards and purposes for executing work promotion expenses; clarification of the reasons for concentrated entertainment-related spending; confirmation of whether duplicate expenditures occurred; complete disclosure of supporting documents; and the establishment of measures to prevent recurrence.

He stated, "The taxpayers' money of county residents cannot become political assets," and added, "County Head Kim must directly clarify his position regarding the suspicions of authoritarian election and the controversy over budget execution."

In response, a county official explained, "According to the regulations on the execution of work promotion expenses by local government heads, it is permissible to provide meals to encourage staff," and emphasized, "The expenditures were made in accordance with the law and regulations."

Regarding the alleged double execution at Jongcheon Township, the official explained, "The approval was supposed to be processed by the secretariat, but it was done at Jongcheon Township first, so the township card was canceled and then the secretariat processed the payment again, which appears to have caused the duplication."

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