Controversy over Coast Guard speakers

[Anchor]

It has been confirmed through KBS reporting that a specific company alone has effectively supplied high-output speakers used by the Coast Guard vessels for the past three years.

The explanation from the Coast Guard regarding why they purchased more expensive and lower-performing speakers through a non-public negotiated contract is also unclear.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission has launched an investigation.

Reporter Jeong Hae-joo has the exclusive report.

[Report]

The Coast Guard patrol vessels play a role in broadcasting warnings to foreign fishing boats that invade our waters.

Therefore, the most important equipment is the high-output speakers.

However, upon obtaining and reviewing the contract records for these speakers, it was found that one company has effectively monopolized the supply.

Company A has won 43 out of 44 contracts with the Coast Guard in various regions over the past three years.

The total amount is approximately 700 million won.

All of these were non-public negotiated contracts without competitive bidding.

The Coast Guard explained that for contracts under 100 million won, it is legally possible to negotiate with companies operated by women.

We visited the company directly.

It looked like a shabby house, and there was no signboard.

[Company Representative/Voice Altered: "(How did you sign the contract?) I will contact you later."]

They received speakers manufactured by another company and supplied them to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard explained that they considered the efficiency of maintenance as the reason for not contracting directly with the manufacturer.

There are also voices within the Coast Guard expressing doubts.

[A Coast Guard Officer/Whistleblower Call/February/Voice Altered: "I know well because I've done a lot of investigations. But it seems like the headquarters is already pushing for more from XX…."]

We compared it with other speakers that were awarded through public negotiated contracts with the Coast Guard.

The effective voice transmission distance was about one-third, yet the price was actually around 1 million won more expensive.

[Kim Young-soo/Director of the Defense Rights Research Institute: "Each (Coast Guard) regional office operated separately. (However) only this one distribution company nationwide brings this product. The chance of such a coincidence is less than one in a million."]

The Coast Guard clarified that it is not favoring a specific company and will diversify the supply companies.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission has begun an investigation into the supply irregularities.

This is KBS News, Jeong Hae-joo.