250 billion won in national funds misallocated as ‘pocket budgets’

[Anchor]

Members of the National Assembly continue to push for "pocket budgets" that include local budgets not included in the government's proposal during the budget review process.

According to an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection, it has been revealed that over 250 billion won in national funds were improperly allocated as pocket budgets over the past four years.

Reporter Moon Ye-seul has the story.

[Report]

A parking lot at a museum in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

[Songpa-gu resident/voice altered: "They say a complex facility is coming, and it seems like it will be right in front of the shopping center, with signs posted...."]

Last year, a local National Assembly member secured 23.6 billion won in national funds to build a cultural and sports facility here, but upon audit, the Board of Audit and Inspection found that this project was a "local transfer project," meaning that national subsidies were prohibited for it.

A community soccer field in Gwanak-gu, which is nearing completion, faced a similar situation.

Gwanak-gu secured 2.7 billion won in local funds to complete the project this year, but unexpectedly, an additional 750 million won in national funds was allocated without prior notice.

After complaints from a local soccer club were raised to the local National Assembly member's office, a budget that did not exist was created.

The opinion of the relevant department stating "difficult to accept" was also of no use.

The audit results showed that national funds prohibited for local transfer projects were injected in 20 cases over the past four years, amounting to over 250 billion won.

In 7 cases, the National Assembly member's office pushed for allocations without consulting local governments, while in 13 cases, local governments requested budget increases through the member's office.

Among these 20 cases, there were many instances where projects were delayed or canceled due to unexpected national funding.

This was because additional funding could not be secured or the project site had already been designated for other purposes.

The Board of Audit and Inspection pointed out that the Ministry of Economy and Finance also agreed to increases without thoroughly reviewing their appropriateness as the budget agreement deadline approached.

They reported that there are ambiguous parts in the enforcement decree of the Subsidy Act that are being misused for pocket budgets and notified the Ministry of Economy and Finance to revise the enforcement decree.

However, there are no special measures that can be taken against the National Assembly and its members due to the lack of supervisory authority over their duties.

This is KBS News, Moon Ye-seul.