[Audit Spotlight] Chair Kim Seongwon, a "Quiet Problem-Solver," Sets the Gold Standard for Running an Audit

Kept the audit calm and moving swiftly amid tensions
Highlighted the achievements of public institutions in attendance and encouraged their employees

There is someone who has led a National Assembly audit calmly and swiftly with “low noise, high output” in a setting where heated exchanges and political wrangling can easily cause confusion. That person is Kim Seongwon, chair of the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee, who led the committee’s audit on Oct. 19 of agencies under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, including Korea Gas Corporation, Korea National Oil Corporation, and Kangwon Land.

Kim Seongwon, chairman of the National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee, speaks on the 19th during a parliamentary audit of Korea Gas Corporation, Korea National Oil Corporation, Kangwon Land, Korea Coal Corporation, Korea Gas Technology Corporation, Korea Gas Safety Corporation, Korea Petroleum Quality & Distribution Authority, and Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation, held at Korea Gas Corporation in Dong-gu, Daegu. Yonhap News.

At the committee’s audit that day, tensions flared as ruling and opposition lawmakers raised their voices over the responses of Kangwon Land President Kim Dogyun and Jang Seungho, a former adviser to Korea Coal Corporation who appeared as a witness, as well as related issues. Rather than raising his voice along with them, Chair Kim remained calm. He cautioned Kim and Jang, then promptly paused the proceedings briefly to cool tensions in the hearing room.

During committee members’ questioning, he spoke up only when necessary. As questions and answers were exchanged about the integration of energy corporations, Chair Kim pressed Hong Euirak, president of Korea Gas Corporation, and Son Juseok, president of Korea National Oil Corporation, saying, “Your answers were ambiguous. You need to make your positions clear,” helping sharpen their remarks. He also checked the party affiliations of all the heads of the institutions in attendance after concerns were raised about Kangwon Land executives holding party membership.

He also helped ease the tense atmosphere in the hearing room. Saying, “The employees of these institutions who have quietly done their part deserve recognition,” Chair Kim mentioned the achievements of all eight institutions in attendance, one by one. To Son, who was serving for the third time as head of a public institution, he said, “A ruling party lawmaker asked me to ask you a question,” and then asked, “What’s the secret to heading an institution three times?” drawing laughter from the room.

Throughout the audit, he looked after committee members and the institutions in attendance. When time was taken up by institution heads and witnesses moving around during the tight questioning schedule, Chair Kim repeatedly said, “Please stop the clock.” Committee member Jeon Eunsu replied, “Thank you.” To committee member Lim Munyeong, who questioned Korea Gas Technology Corporation, which had not been mentioned during the audit, he expressed his appreciation, saying, “The corporation has 2,300 employees, and this is the first question it has received today.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.