Impeachment System of Leaders of the Local Autonomous Organizations Needed

Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea (BAI) announced yesterday that an institutional system should be introduced to inspect the responsibility of the local autonomous organizations’ leaders, since irresponsible behaviors of local autonomous organizational leaders, such as pork-barreling administration aiming at the election, are the core stumbling blocks for the development of the local administration. BAI announced this in the book `Year 2000 Audit & Inspection on local autonomous organizations` by pointing out that ``currently, an institutionalized system to acquire the responsibilities of leaders of the local autonomous organizations does not exist. Therefore, there is no way to inquire their responsibilities on the wrongful administrative works during their posts, unless the leaders are legally charged due to the illegal activity.`` In the case of leaders of the local autonomous organizations; it is difficult to prove the concrete criminal activities compared with the public officials; even if they are legally charged, the effectiveness is not guaranteed since it takes long time for the final decision to be confirmed; blank period in the administration is left due to the long-term trial.

One BAI official said that ``although leaders of local autonomous organizations are subject to audit and inspection according to the BAI law, they cannot be reprimanded despite their wrongful activities because they are not subject to the disciplinary regulations.`` Therefore, BAI indicts or asks for the investigation only when their wrongful activities are sufficient to be charged as a crime. Otherwise, BAI warns leaders or inquires their `indirect responsibilities` by reporting to the local assemblies to which they belong or by publicizing to the press. When the case of the pork barreling squandering of the local budget is exposed, related officials are often reprimanded since they deny that leaders have ordered out of the fear for the personnel disadvantage. BAI pointed out that in order to prevent such a side effect, several plans should be examined; to introduce the system of impeachment or reprimand of leaders of the local autonomous organizations; to reinforce the system of participation and supervision of residents, such as resident recall system, resident vote system, and resident law-suit system; to strengthen the role and function of the self-inspection system of the local autonomous organizations.

Boo Hyung-Kwon bookum90@donga.com