Korea Communications Commission Cancels Partial Disciplinary Action Over Fact-Checking Project Labor Costs for Partii and Apologizes

▲ Kim Jong-chul, Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, presides over the 27th meeting held at the Government Complex Gwacheon on the 12th.

The Korea Communications Commission has reversed its initial audit findings and disciplinary actions against the social cooperative Partii regarding the alleged misuse of labor costs in a fact-checking project, offering an official apology to the organization.

The commission announced on the 14th that it visited Partii to express its condolences and apologize for the difficulties the organization experienced during the audit and disciplinary process.

Previously, the commission announced audit results in 2024 stating that Partii, an indirect subsidy implementer for the fact-checking project, had used subsidies for purposes other than intended. Last year, it issued orders to cancel subsidy allocations, demand repayments, and impose penalty surcharges.

After Partii filed an objection, the commission conducted an ex officio re-deliberation and canceled its initial audit findings regarding the misuse of labor costs in June.

This decision was made because regulations concerning the calculation of labor costs were unclear, no misuse was confirmed, and the principle of protection of legitimate expectations needed to be recognized considering the progress of the project.

Consequently, the commission canceled the partial revocation of the subsidy allocation, the repayment order, and the penalty surcharges related to labor costs imposed on Partii.

Moving forward, the commission plans to review the standards for calculating labor costs and accounting guidelines for indirect subsidy implementers, while improving related regulations as well as audit and disciplinary procedures.

Chairperson Kim Jong-chul stated, "I apologize for not being sufficiently meticulous during the audit and administrative disposition process. We will examine subsidy execution and audit procedures more closely to prevent similar cases from recurring."

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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