By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) called for revisions of the law governing rice subsidies Tuesday, saying that the funds were used to fatten the pockets of inappropriate people.
The party also urged legislators from the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) who unlawfully received the subsidy to step down as it revealed findings from a parliamentary probe into the scandal.
The revision contains a stiffer punishment that people who illicitly take the subsidy will be sentenced to up to one year in prison or fined up to 10 million won ($7,500).
It also empowers a farm management committee to check whether registered farmers actually carry out the work they say they do and make public a list of people who benefited from the subsidy program.
Based on the investigation results, the DP urged GNP members who allegedly took the assistance to give up their National Assembly seat.
``Rep. Kim Hack-yong unlawfully took 1.6 million between 2006 and 2007, even though he does not actually farm,'' said the DP in a resolution issued after the end of the investigation. ``He is also suspected of being engaged in land speculation ― as the cost of his lands increased (in value) 4.4 times.''
The party also claimed that many other former and incumbent GNP members received the subsidy despite their disqualification.
The system was designed to support farmers who are expected to make losses after the government decided to gradually open up the local market to agricultural imports. Since its introduction, approximately four trillion won has been handed out.
Earlier this month, the Board of Audit and Inspection submitted to the assembly a list of nearly one million people who received the subsidy.
Of them, about 300,000 were suspected of abusing the program, including 110,000 civil servants and 6,000 employees at public firms.