By Jun Ji-hye
A total of 10 generals and other high ranking military officers have been caught using military vehicles for private purposes, the state auditor said Wednesday.
This is the first time that the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) has investigated the use of military vehicles.
The BAI said that the 10 are among those who are under investigation for misusing military vehicles and the tax-free fuel provided for the vehicles. It plans to announce the results of its audit soon and ask the military to take disciplinary measures.
The suspects include a division commander of a border unit, the agency said, without disclosing any names.
“They were caught using official vehicles to go and play golf during weekends or holidays, or to attend private gatherings,” said a government official on condition of anonymity. “Some appeared to use the vehicles during their vacations.”
The inspection came after the National Assembly asked the state auditor in September to look into whether the ministry set clear criteria for the use of vehicles by the military, which allows soldiers and officials to register their own means of transport as military vehicles.
According to the ministry, some 500 generals, colonels and director-level officials are currently using official vehicles.
Once registered as military vehicles, the drivers can use tax-free fuel and travel on highways for free.
Critics have said the indiscriminate registration of military vehicles can lead to a waste of tax payers’ money.
Some 1 trillion won is estimated to have been spent on tax-free fuel for military cars this year, said officials.
The BAI is currently conducting additional inspections after receiving written explanations from those caught, who are reportedly claiming the BAI made a false accusation against them.
The state auditor is expected to announce the final results of its inspection in the middle of next month.
In April, a military human rights watchdog revealed that former Air Force Chief of Staff Choi Cha-gyu as well as his wife and son utilized official vehicles for personal use.
At the time, Lim Tae-hoon, head of the Center for Military Human Rights Korea, claimed that Choi ordered drivers of official vehicles to provide his son with rides to a club near Hongik University.
Lim also said that Choi’s wife used official vehicles for personal reasons while issuing fussy orders to the drivers such as demanding that water be prepared for her in advance and that specific radio stations be tuned into.
Amid growing criticism against the Air Force chief, the ministry created guidelines for the use of official vehicles in May, but these again became the target of criticism because they stated that the scope of official duties should include going to a golf course owned by the military as well as trips to religious facilities.
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