Politics · South Korea · 2 hrs ago
South Korea audit chief defends independence of government-appointed members
South Korea’s Board of Audit and Inspection examines government accounts and officials’ work.
At a parliamentary hearing in Seoul, opposition lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun questioned the independence of two members appointed under the current government.
He pointed to one member’s past role as a senior party official and the other’s former job as a presidential office secretary for judicial affairs.
Board chief Kim Ho-cheol said both were legally eligible and had sufficient expertise and ability.
He said the presidential office had not pressured him over their appointments and that their work had not undermined the board’s independence or neutrality.
Kim said the board would keep independence in mind in its operations and when appointing future members.
South Korea’s audit chief said government-appointed audit commissioners have sufficient ability and that their independence has not been compromised.
Kim Ho-cheol said there was no pressure from the presidential office over the appointments.
He was responding to questions from People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun about the commissioners’ past roles.
Kim spoke at a parliamentary audit committee hearing in Seoul on Oct. 12.
He said the agency would continue to safeguard independence in its operations and future appointments.
- Who
- Audit chief Kim Ho-cheol, responding to People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun.
- What
- Kim defended the ability and independence of two commissioners appointed under the current government.
- When
- Oct. 12, 2026.
- Where
- The Board of Audit and Inspection in Seoul.
- Why
- Yoon questioned the commissioners’ independence because of their previous political and government roles.
Yoon Sang-hyun
Kim Ho-cheol
Commissioners’ independence
Yoon Sang-hyun
Yoon pointed to Lim Seon-sook’s past role as a top party official under President Lee Jae-myung and Lee Jin-guk’s former role as a presidential office secretary for judicial affairs.
Kim Ho-cheol
Kim said the commissioners had sufficient ability, faced no legal disqualifications and had not undermined the audit commission’s independence or neutrality.
I judge that they have sufficient ability
I clearly state that there was no pressure from the presidential office
There has been absolutely no instance of the two commissioners’ activities, or the audit commission, compromising independence and neutrality in their work
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Hearing date
- Oct. 12, 2026
- Hearing location
- Board of Audit and Inspection, Seoul
- Commissioners questioned
- Lim Seon-sook and Lee Jin-guk
- Audit requests
- 25 of 32 requests from the National Assembly since 2025 had results reported to it
Sources
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