Seoul Jung-gu Facility Management Corporation Chairman Faces Dismissal over hiring Practices & Contract Concerns
Seoul,South Korea – The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s auditor has upheld a decision recommending the dismissal of the Chairman of the Jung-gu Facility Management Corporation,following an audit revealing irregularities in veterinary contracts,employee recruitment,and the use of company resources. The decision, finalized on August 18th, stems from a report released on April 8th detailing the findings of the audit.
The audit uncovered instances where the Chairman directed the corporation to shift contracts to companies connected to personal relationships. Specifically, on January 12, 2023, the Chairman instructed a change in the annual toilet paper contract from the existing vendor to a company associated with a friend, resulting in a 7.6% increase in cost compared to the original quote.
Further investigation revealed the Chairman directed staff to obtain a quote for manual fire extinguishers for electric vehicle charging stations through his nephew. Between January and March 2023, the Chairman received benefits totaling 49,8764 won from this individual, and a company vehicle was used for personal purposes under the guise of business site inspections.
However,the most notable findings relate to the recruitment process for facility guide positions in the first half of 2023. While 16 candidates were initially selected as finalists, all five candidates for the facility guide role were ultimately rejected. The auditor’s report details that the Chairman received summaries of interviewer evaluations from the HR department head and explicitly stated a preference, saying, “our facility guides are much more suitable than men.”
This statement led to the rejection of all finalists previously approved by the Industrial Complex’s Human Resources Committee. The auditor concluded that the chairman’s intervention strongly suggests a biased hiring process, even in the face of objections from the internal interview committee.
The auditor has instructed the Jung-gu Office to take appropriate disciplinary action,including dismissal,and to report any violations of the Anti-Solicitation Act. While the Chairman defended the toilet paper contract change, the auditor maintained that evidence supports direction to alter the contract. Regarding the fire extinguisher purchase,the auditor acknowledged the nephew’s quote wasn’t formally signed but confirmed the Chairman communicated a price ceiling to influence the bidding process. The auditor also expressed concern over the chairman receiving funds from the nephew, raising questions about the fairness of the related contracts.
[Image of the auditor of Jongno -gu, Seoul. 2025.8.6/News1 ⓒ News1 Shin Woong -su reporter]
Source: News1, August 28th.
