[Anchor]
Executives and employees of the Korea Water Resources Corporation went on an overseas business trip to Liverpool, England, under the pretext of signing a business agreement with the Ukrainian side a few years ago. Tens of millions of won in taxpayer money was spent, but it was later revealed that they actually just held a video conference even after going all the way to the UK. The ministry that audited the corporation pointed out that they "wasted budget on a junket-like itinerary."
This is an exclusive report by Kim Bo-mi.
[Reporter]
In late July 2023, the Korea Water Resources Corporation issued a press release stating that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding Ukraine's reconstruction projects with "UHE," a Ukrainian public hydropower institution.
The release stated that they met in Liverpool, England, along with figures such as personnel from the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce.
However, according to the audit results of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment regarding the corporation obtained by SBS, it was confirmed that the UHE and Chamber of Commerce personnel, who were the MOU counterparts at the time, did not come to Liverpool.
The individuals in the press release photos were Ukrainian lawmakers unrelated to the MOU.
In the actual MOU photos, only two officials from the corporation are present.
The signing of the two MOUs was actually conducted via "video conference."
The "6-day, 4-night trip to Liverpool" by six executives and employees of the corporation cost some 60 million won in budget.
The audit results revealed that out of nine itineraries originally proposed in the business trip plan, five—including meetings with the Ukrainian delegation—were not carried out at all, and instead, they toured the University of Liverpool, which was unrelated to the reconstruction project.
In its audit disposition request, the Ministry pointed out that "they undertook an unnecessary official business trip to Liverpool, England, just to sign an MOU that could have been participated in via video from domestic locations," and that they "wasted corporate budget on a junket-like itinerary."
The corporation issued only a warning to the division head-level standing director among the travelers, and took a disciplinary action of reprimand against the official in charge, a Grade 2 employee, for negligence in business management.
[Interview: Lee Jong-bae / Member, National Assembly Climate and Labor Committee (People Power Party): (We must prevent this) by having the overseas business trip screening committee review applications very thoroughly and strictly in advance so as not to waste the people's tax money.]
The corporation explained that they had originally designated Liverpool as the MOU signing location because the Ukrainian delegation was scheduled to attend an international event there, and added, "The executives and employees who went on the trip learned only after arriving locally that it became difficult for the Ukrainian side to travel to the UK due to their circumstances."
However, they stated that there were no separate documentary evidence materials by discussing such matters verbally.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
Reported by Shin Dong-hwan and Kim Nam-seong | Video by Lee Seung-jin | Design by Seohyun Cho
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