Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at the finance desk of The Korea Times, focuses primarily on economic policy and government agencies, mainly covering the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Budget and Planning, the National Tax Service and the Korea Customs Service. She previously covered financial authorities, including the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, and earlier worked on the political, city and business desks, reporting on a wide range of issues.
Lawmakers criticized for overseas trips
By Jun Ji-hye
One-hundred lawmakers are traveling abroad this month on “business trips” financed by taxpayers’ money. It is customary for some legislators to travel overseas once regular or extraordinary National Assembly sessions are finished.
They say they are doing so for various business purposes. But, the problem is that in many cases they just visit famous tourist sites instead, critics and civic groups said.
According to the Citizens United for Better Society (CUBS), lawmakers traveled abroad 81 times from June 2012 to January this year. They spent a total of 7.2 billion won ($6.7 million) in taxpayers’ money on the trips.
The overseas trips rapidly increase when the Assembly is in recess, evidenced by the 100 who are abroad this month.
They are stirring public uproar as many bills to improve the livelihood of citizens have been left pending.
Critics say their trips are for business purposes in name only, and the reality is they are mostly on sightseeing tours..
“Lawmakers’ mindset is very backward. Plus, relevant regulations are very vague and lax. What is of greater concern is the fact that legislators frequently violate even these regulations,” said Lee Ok-nam, a member of CUBS
In May and June 2013, members of the National Assembly Gender Equality and Family Committee went to the Philippines and Taiwan, saying they were going to meet with related organizations. But their report submitted in November showed that they visited just two local organizations during the trip.
Under the National Assembly Law, lawmakers must submit a report within 20 days of returning from a business trip, but few follow this rule, according to the civic group.
In one case, lawmakers who went abroad in 2011 submitted their report in February this year.
To counter what they say is lawmakers’ “bad habits,” some civic groups are pushing to list lawmakers’ overseas trips in time for the next general election, so that people can judge them for their “work.”
“Many members of the public are infuriated over legislators’ overseas trips that are mainly for sightseeing, as they are seen as a waste of taxpayers’ money,” said Ahn Jin-geol, a member of the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy. “It is necessary to reflect that history when drawing up a list of candidates … for the next elections.”
Lee Kwang-jae, secretary-general of the Korea Manifesto Center, said, “Lawmakers go abroad using taxpayers’ money, but they rarely produce any accomplishments.”
“We will specifically list those who traveled overseas and what results they achieved in the next general election, so that the public can make informed decisions.”