Criticism grows over local councilors' overseas trips
Park Jong-cheol, right, deputy chairman of the Yeocheon County Council, gives an apologetic statement at the council office, Friday. / Korea Times file
By Kang Seung-woo
Recent misconduct by county councilors during an overseas “business trip” is raising calls to ban such excursions during which local officials and lawmakers spend taxpayers' money on “jaunts” and often engage in reprehensible behavior.
A public outcry has arisen after members of Yecheon County Council in North Gyeongsang Province were found to have assaulted a travel guide during their 10-day trip to the U.S. East Coast and Canada last month. One even demanded the guide take them to an “escort bar” where they could be served drinks by sex workers.
Since the behavior came to light, scores of petitions have been uploaded on the Cheong Wa Dae website, calling for the punishment of the Yecheon councilors, and questioning the effectiveness of such overseas trips by public servants.
“There must be a ban on overseas trips disguised as inspections for government affairs by civil servants, including lawmakers and councilors. While ordinary people struggle in their daily lives, the county councilors flew overseas and committed shameful acts that disgraced the country,” one petitioner wrote.
“The government needs to take an action to remove such an unnecessary system.”
Another petitioner said, “Misconduct during overseas trips is angering the people, as they are funded by taxpayers' money and the officials seek preferential treatment.”
Nine councilors and five staffers of the council flew to the United States, Dec. 20, for the stated purpose of inspecting urban regeneration projects in advanced cities, but their itinerary was instead full of tourism events, including a trip to Niagara Falls. The cost of the trip was 61.9 million won ($55,000).
Park Jong-cheol, the council's deputy chairman, drank too much, assaulted the tour guide on a bus in Toronto leading to the bus driver calling the police, according to the guide.
However, when police tried to take Park into custody, the guide asked them not to interfere the remaining schedule.
In order to “remedy the situation,” other councilors gave the guide $3,300 and 1.73 million won.
After the incident was made public, Park stepped down from his deputy chairman position and also left the Liberty Korea Party (LKP).
In addition, another councilor Kwon Do-sik allegedly asked the guide several times to find an escort bar, while the behavior of some at their hotel after drinking too much led to complaint calls from other guests.
Members of the National Assembly and councilors often find themselves in the hot seat for going on overseas excursions using taxpayers' money rather than conducting their public duty.
Late last month, four lawmakers of the main opposition LKP embarked on a trip to the holiday destination of Da Nang in Vietnam, skipping an Assembly plenary session, in which a revision bill aimed at strengthening industrial safety measures was scheduled to be voted on.
“It is questionable for councilors to go on overseas trips, spending massive amounts of taxpayers' money. There should be moves to seek alternative measures,” a political watcher said.