“목표는 장관, 협조 안 하면 공직생활 끝”…윤 정부 감사원, 통계·서해 감사 조작

The National Audit Office has confirmed that during the current government term, there were instances of pressure and manipulation in the audit processes of the property market statistics investigation (property statistics audit) and the Saemaeul public servant murder case (Saemaeul audit). As a result, on March 27th, the previous audit chief and former head of the audit office, along with other key officials, faced criminal charges and investigations.

The audit findings, released today, indicted ten individuals, including former audit chiefs and special investigation chiefs, for charges such as official abuse, hindering administrative execution due to hierarchy, and falsifying official documents. For the Saemaeul audit, only disciplinary warnings were given to 12 individuals.

The investigation revealed that the property statistics audit targeted high-ranking officials from the presidential office and the Ministry of Trade, including President Moon Jae-in's policy chief and then Minister of Construction. This audit was conducted to pressure these individuals into altering statistical data. The audit also found that officials involved in the Saemaeul investigation were pressured to provide unfounded statements and were subjected to a form of psychological pressure, including threats of job loss and suicide.

The audit concluded that these actions resulted in the distortion of housing statistics. Following the audit, the audit chief requested investigations into 22 former officials from the Moon Jae-in administration, while the prosecution indicted 11 individuals, including former Presidents Moon Jae-in and Yi Moon-sung, for their alleged involvement in the Saemaeul audit.

The audit office plans to review whether to re-examine the audit decisions made based on the TIEPF investigation findings.