It was revealed that the Prime Minister candidate Han Deok-soo wasted hundreds of millions of won while he was the Korean ambassador to the United States (February 2009 - February 2012) because the embassy in the US poorly managed service contracts.



According to the 2014 audit data of the U.S. embassy by the Board of Audit and Inspection obtained by Rep. Shin Dong-geun of the Democratic Party of Korea, in January 2011, when a candidate was serving as the ambassador to the United States, the embassy placed an order for company A to manage cooling and heating facilities.



Company A managed the cooling and heating facilities of five buildings, including the embassy building as well as the residence of the embassy where a candidate lived.



Company A received $335,900 from the embassy for managing its air conditioning and heating facilities from January 2011 to July 2013. That is the explanation of the Audit Office.



In April 2013, Company A failed to replace and inspect various filters on time, so the air conditioner and boiler in the residence broke down.



The Board of Audit and Inspection also pointed out that a company established by an employee of the embassy violated the Code of Conduct for civil servants by taking charge of office building remodeling.



The Board of Audit and Inspection entrusted the embassy to Company C, which was established in November 2011 by an administrative employee of the embassy's general affairs department, for four repairs, including the remodeling of the banquet hall on the first floor of the government building, and made a profit of $63,500, but the embassy did not recognize this. He said that he had neglected the management and supervision.



According to the National Public Officials Act and the Code of Conduct for Public Officials, public officials are not allowed to engage in business for profit, and they are not allowed to use their positions to gain undue profits.



Based on these audits, the Board of Audit and Inspection delivered the measures to the Ambassador to the United States, saying, "Strict management and supervision should be carried out so that the related matter does not recur."



(Photo = Yonhap News)