"For 6 months, I have been persistently asking questions by text, phone, and email. If I did not find the information I wanted, I would come to you and ask until I gave it to you."


This is an anecdote related to Director Yoo Byung-ho at the time of the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant audit.

An incumbent university professor who was investigated in relation to the alleged manipulation of economic evaluation of Wolsong Unit 1 in 2020 remembered Yoo Byung-ho, then director of the Public Institutions Audit Bureau of the Board of Audit and Inspection like this:

Regarding Director Yoo Byung-ho, Professor Lee said, 'I headed to the ground to find one more major clue.

The sincerity was great.”

It was a nuance that was close to positive.

On the other hand, another professor, who received the survey at a similar point in time, referred to Director Yoo Byung-ho's style of gratitude at the time and expressed it as a 'double trawl-type audit'.

It was close to a negative nuance.

Most of the auditees said, 'It doesn't look good.

I brushed it off until it came out,' he said, shaking his head.



Director Yoo Byung-ho, who led the inspection of the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant for about a year, demanded severe disciplinary action against the executives of the Ministry of Industry, and requested the prosecution to investigate the crimes.

He was strongly criticized by the Democratic Party, along with Auditor Choi Jae-hyung, who was present at the National Assembly at the time in July 2020, for having put a knife to living power.

The Democratic Party criticized, 'Is it obstructing the government's policy of eliminating nuclear power?'

Then, in mid-January, I was appointed as the director of the Audit Research Institute, a non-auditing department.

He was widely regarded as a relegated person.


Resurrected from non-audit position to 'power of the Audit Office' after 5 months

It is said that President Yoon Seok-yeol highly praised Yoo Byung-ho's 'belief' since his tenure as prosecutor general.

Director Yoo Byung-ho joined the Presidential Transition Committee as an expert after the election of President Yoon Seok-yeol, and was appointed 'Secretary-General' last month.

The post of Director General of the Board of Audit and Inspection, transferred by Director Yoo Byung-ho, is evaluated as the 'second-ranked' and 'powerful' position within the Board of Audit and Inspection.

The position of general secretary of the Board of Audit and Inspection is in charge of personnel management, budget, and inspection of 1,080 employees.

He receives a vice-minister-level salary.

They are classified as government officials, not general employees.

Directly below are the two Deputy Secretary-Generals who assist the Secretary-General.

Not only the treatment, but also the authority is strong.

The general secretary has the power to lead specific or planned audits, including regular audits.



On the 14th of last month, the Auditor General Choi Jae-hae recommended that Secretary-General Yoo Byung-ho be appointed and praised him as an "orthodox auditor with long field audit experience" and "a strong-minded principle and principled person" as the right person for the secretary-general.

His fellow executives also said in common, 'I am not someone who plays around with my work because I am confident in my work.'

However, there are many executives who view 'second person' Director Yoo Byung-ho with concern.

One executive cautiously said, "It seems to be close these days, when Secretary-General Yoo Byung-ho is conducting a large-scale audit of government agencies.



Enlarging an image

A stinging gaze on the Board of Audit and Inspection

Recently, the Board of Audit and Inspection is conducting a literal all-round audit, including the Korea Coast Guard, the Ministry of National Defense, the National Election Commission, the Korea Communications Commission, the Financial Supervisory Service, and the Military Manpower Administration.

The number of audited institutions will continue to grow.

Most are part of a planned regular audit, but looking at the audit outlines what the auditor is aiming for.

The attack on the West Sea, the controversy over the voting basket for the 20th presidential election, and suspicions related to military service for the children of former Financial Services Commission members.

Most of them are audits related to suspicions related to the Moon Jae-in government or social and national suspicions that occurred during the Moon Jae-in administration.

Although the audit was not initiated, the Board of Audit and Inspection requested the Korea Development Institute KDI for personnel and budget-related data, and even just collecting basic data felt pressure from KDI's point of view and KDI President Hong Jang-pyo expressed his resignation.

In every sensitive case, the Board of Audit and Inspection has a hand, and in some cases, the Secretary-General is directing the case as if he was investigating it himself.

The response of an executive at the Board of Audit and Inspection, saying, "Isn't it rather negligence of duty not to audit the case that has raised public suspicions?" shows the atmosphere of the Board of Audit and Inspection in a hurry.

If the allegation turns out to be true, as this executive said, appropriate action should be taken.

You must demand disciplinary action or request an investigation.



However, even a moving vehicle must have brakes.

Regarding the audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection, it is pointed out that it is a "targeted audit aimed at the Moon Jae-in government."

Unintentionally, it is difficult for the Board of Audit and Inspection to be free from these criticisms and frames.

The Board of Audit and Inspection dismissed it, saying, "It is for the purpose of dissolving public suspicions," and that "there is no political purpose."

However, the timing of and the specific political circumstances at the time of initiation of the audit lead to interpretation of the audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection.

For example, at a time when suspicions regarding the spouse of HR secretary Lee Won-mo in the presidential office are growing, if unnecessary noise or misunderstanding arises that the issue is covered with an obi-irak, 'neutrality of audit' may be questioned.

Coincidentally, it is the timing that the National Intelligence Service is also stepping up.

Even if we follow 'laws and principles', we are living in an era where 'laws and principles' are not everything.

On certain issues, faction logic takes precedence over laws and principles.

There are divisions in all parts of society.

This is the reason why colleagues at the Board of Audit and Inspection look at Secretary General Yoo Byung-ho with concern.

The fact that former Auditor General Choi Jae-hyung went directly to politics could also act as a burden for President Yoo Byung-ho (even if he did not care) in the end.



Enlarging an image

"To give justification to the prosecution's appearance"

A former auditor of the Board of Audit and Inspection was concerned about the omni-directional audit of the Board of Audit and Inspection, saying, "It will eventually lead to a prosecution investigation, but it will give the justification for the prosecution's appearance."

It seems that the Board of Audit and Inspection is concerned about whether the Board of Audit and Inspection will also become a target of reform, as they have seen the path the prosecution has followed.

Since the incumbent Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection is running for president and the incumbent president also served as the Prosecutor General, the views of the Board of Audit and Inspection are not as pretty as ever.

(Although it may be inconvenient for the Board of Audit and Inspection to see each other as linking the audit of the Board of Audit and Inspection by the Prosecutor's Office, the appearance of the prosecution is less burdensome if the Board of Audit and Inspection goes first.

Because it could be one of several reasons for the investigation. 



Let's take the case two years ago as an example.

A 200-page investigation request form prepared by the Board of Audit and Inspection and more than 7,000 pages of reference materials were the main reason why the prosecution was able to investigate the alleged manipulation of economic evaluation of Wolsong Unit 1.

Lawyers who saw the materials evaluated that it was comparable to the prosecution's indictment.

Even the prosecution cannot deny that one of the factors that kept the prosecution's investigation alive amid the oppression of the political world was the audit report of the Board of Audit and Inspection.

A university professor who served as an audit committee member said, "The status of the Board of Audit and Inspection has changed. As much as the status of the Board of Audit and Inspection has changed, there are many suspicious eyes. You need to be particularly careful about the situation.

The Board of Audit and Inspection must listen to these opinions in order to bring out the purpose of the main function of the Board of Audit and Inspection of Power.

The expression 'the 2nd company of the prosecution' is an expression containing a kind of power-oriented element, but it is not an expression of demeaning to the Board of Audit and Inspection, but it is interpreted to mean that the shadow of the prosecution is large.


Some have raised the theory of prudence in internal inspection by the Board of Audit and Inspection

Even with the power of the current administration, the situation outside the Board of Audit and Inspection doesn't look so good.

Suffering from internal and external foreign exchange is the biggest crisis of the organization.

What is the situation inside the Audit Office?

Secretary-General Yoo Byung-ho removed the positions of five people, including Manager Kim, and went into inspection.

It is said that they caught the situation of 'thank you for taking care' of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance at the beginning of last year.

It is said that a false official document was written to give a generous evaluation to the Ministry of Finance.

The executives are complaining about injustice, complaining to their colleagues, and posting on the internal network.

At that time, Director Choi Jae-hae was approved, so he requested an interview and sent SOS to him, but it is said that the interview did not take place due to the fact that it was under inspection.

In particular, there are quite a few reviews from within the organization saying, "He is as greedy and as good at his job as Secretary-General Yoo Byung-ho."

However, there are also testimonies from colleagues who say that Secretary-General Yoo Byung-ho and his goals are different and the emotional rift deepens.

It is said that there were frequent cases of raising each other's voices at meetings.



Some of the other executives are even talking about training them because they lack work competency.

There may be objections as to whether it is a disgraceful cycle.

The Board of Audit and Inspection has already foretold a reorganization.

There is a forecast that a big greeting will be issued soon.

Contrary to the intention of strengthening the public service discipline prior to the reorganization of the Board of Audit and Inspection, these measures are viewed from inside and outside the Board of Audit and Inspection as there is a high risk of splitting the Board of Audit and Inspection in two.

A former executive said, "It is a high risk from an organization's point of view to turn the tip of the knife inward while leading an audit that the politicians can react sensitively."