By Kim Bo-eun
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) blasted the giving of a presidential award to the Korea South-East Power (KOEN), a state-run company that has been found to have imported North Korean coal, something banned by U.N. Security Council sanctions.
The company had been under an investigation since last year, but received the award for outstanding innovation last month out of 123 public institutions nationwide.
"According to government guidelines on awards, an institution that is subject to an investigation cannot receive an award," Rep. Kim Jin-tae said. "What kind of crazy country awards an institution that is subject to investigation?"
The remarks came during a meeting of lawmakers comprising a taskforce on the North Korean coal case. Last October, the government began investigating allegations that North Korean coal was imported by fabricating the country of origin as Russia. The Korea Customs Service announced the results of its investigation earlier this month, and forwarded the case to the prosecution, but did not suggest KOEN should be indicted. KOEN said it did not know the coal was from North Korea.
Rep. Yoo Ki-june who leads the taskforce criticized the government for failing to conclude its investigation swiftly.
"The government was notified that North Korean coal had been brought in, but investigations by the Korea Customs Service stretched on for 10 months _ it is doubtful whether the government had willingness to investigate the case," he said.
"There is so much suspicion over government officials trying to cover up the case we need a hearing and National Assembly investigation into it."
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