Nepotism scandal at public firms growing
The members of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party spread a large banner to protest alleged nepotism at public firms revealed during a recent government audit, during a rally in front of the National Assembly building, Sunday. / Yonhap
By Kim Jae-heun
Suspicions of nepotism are emerging at a growing number of public companies following the first allegation involving Seoul Metro, where more than 100 people given regular employment were found to be related to employees who had already been working there.
The government is considering investigating all public companies for recruitment corruption.
According to Rep. Jung You-sub of the Liberty Korea Party (LKP), Monday, the Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS) hired 1,203 temporary workers as permanent employees. And 25 of them have family ties with employees who had already worked there.
The Incheon International Airport Corp. is also embroiled in controversy, as 14 employees hired at six of its subcontractors were found to be relatives of workers at the corporation, according to Rep. Park Wan-su of the LKP.
At Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) KPS, a subsidiary of the KEPCO, 240 temporary workers were given permanent employment in April, and 11 of them were children of executives and staff members there, according to Rep. Jung.
Rep. Jang Seok-chun of the LKP added that KEPCO KPS has hired 40 people since 2014 who were children or siblings of current workers.
At Daejeon City Corp., seven people who were newly hired since May last year were children or siblings of the company's union members. Six of the seven were assigned to the same departments as their relatives, said Rep. Lee Che-ik of the LKP.
These public companies are denying any favors or irregularities in its hiring, saying those people landed the jobs through due process.
As the nepotism allegations are involving more and more public companies, the government said it is considering inspecting all public firms.
“We are currently investigating the companies where the allegations have emerged, and will consider how to conduct investigation into all the hundreds of public companies if we do,” a government official said. “But it is not an easy task because confirming family ties involves access to private information of the workers.”
Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon also said Friday that his ministry would consider inspecting nepotism allegations at the central government-affiliated public companies.
The accusation over nepotism started at Seoul Metro sparked during the National Assembly audit last week when Rep. Kim Sung-tae, floor leader of the LKP, revealed that the city-owned company promoted 1,285 temporary workers to permanent positions, and 108 of them were later found to be relatives of workers at the company.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said he would ask the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) to inspect the allegations soon.
Three opposition parties _ the LKP, the Bareunmirae Party and the Party for Democracy and Peace _ requested an inspection of recruitment irregularities at public firms on Monday.