Lawmakers hit for misusing special allowance

By Do Je-hae

Lawmakers are under mounting criticism for allegedly “misusing” special allowances following confessions by some who said they used them for personal expenses.

The latest such case involves Rep. Shin Geh-ryoon of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD). He admitted misusing the funds during a hearing held on Monday about alleged bribes.

“I used them to pay for my son's overseas tuition and other personal expenses,” Shin said.

He was speaking about the special allowance of around 20 million won he received monthly while serving as the head of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee from 2012-2014.

During prosecutorial questioning last week, South Gyeongsang Province Governor Hong Jun-pyo admitted to taking home a portion of the 40 million won monthly in 2008 when he led the House Steering Committee. He was also serving as floor leader of the ruling party at the time.

“I gave my wife the remainder of the monthly allowance entitled to the head of the steering committee,” Hong said.

Each year, the National Assembly spends about 8 billion won in special allowance for key posts. They include the speaker, vice speaker and heads of the Assembly's 18 regular and special committees.

In light of public rage brought on by the two cases, the parties will prepare measures to curb wasting of the Assembly allowance.

“I will meet with the speaker and discuss the necessary steps,” Rep. Yoo Seung-min, floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, said during a meeting with party seniors Wednesday.

As the ruling party’s floor leader, he concurrently serves as the head of the steering committee, which is in charge of handling the Assembly’s budget and operation.

The NPAD will launch a special team to look into the allowance system and improve its transparency.

"The public is giving the National Assembly a cold stare because of Gov. Hong,” NPAD floor leader Rep. Lee Jong-kul said during a Supreme Council meeting Wednesday.

The four-time lawmaker proposed a bill last year related to reinforcing ethics for lawmakers, saying, “We should consider the public sentiment on special allowances and swiftly implement proper measures to establish ethics in the Assembly.”

Rep. Park Jie-won of the NPAD proposed a bill on revising Assembly allowances in 2012, but it is still pending in the steering committee.