Presidential office unveils offbook gov't fund details for 1st time
President Lee Jae Myung presides over his first Cabinet meeting at Government Complex Sejong, Sept. 16. Yonhap
The presidential office said Tuesday it is disclosing spending details of offbook government funds that have long been a source of controversy in high-profile political scandals under past administrations, in a move to boost public transparency.
The Lee Jae Myung government launched a website showing expense details of "special activity funds," along with expenditures for other operations and specific tasks, the first such disclosure by any government, the presidential office said in a release.
Special activity funds refer to confidential spending of government funds for state affairs, such as diplomacy and national security, and related information on their execution had never been made public.
The dubious nature of the funds sparked controversy under the Park Geun-hye administration in 2018, when three former spy chiefs were tried and later convicted of illegally diverting them to support Park's office. The court ruled they amounted to bribes.
Lee, who took office in June, had pledged to use the funds responsibly and provide proper accountability.
"While the very nature of special activity funds lies in confidentiality, which inevitably limits disclosure, we have decided to release the information in respect of past court rulings and to demonstrate that taxpayers' money is being spent properly," the office said.
Previous administrations only disclosed spending amounts by category and examples of usage, but the Lee government will release daily records to enhance transparency, it said.
But some highly classified matters related to national security will remain undisclosed due to the sensitivity, the office added.
"This unprecedented disclosure will expand the public's right to know, encourage citizens' participation in governance and serve as an important milestone for greater transparency in state administration," it said.