Research Fund Misuse Allegations and Gaming During Work Hours Put Science and Technology Sector's Discipline Under Scrutiny [2026 Parliamentary Audit]

Hwang Jeonga: "155 Million Won in Improper Research Fund Spending... Strict Action Needed"
Allegations Also Raised of National Security Research Institute Employees Playing Games and Harassing a Whistleblower

Improper spending of more than 100 million won in research funding was uncovered in a national research and development (R&D) project, while allegations emerged at a research institute responsible for cybersecurity that employees played games during working hours and harassed an internal whistleblower. As weaknesses in everything from research fund management to oversight of staff conduct at research institutes came to light, lax discipline in the science and technology sector became a focus of the parliamentary audit.

At an audit by the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee on October 20, Assemblywoman Hwang Jeonga of the Democratic Party of Korea said that only three of the 24,389 R&D projects managed by the National Research Foundation of Korea in 2025 had been caught misusing research funds.

Rep. Hwang Jeong-ah of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo provided by Rep. Hwang Jeong-ah's office.

Referring to allegations that a professor at Yonsei University College of Medicine misused research funds, Hwang claimed that an investigation by the National Research Foundation had identified approximately 155 million won in improper expenditures. She also said there were 283 cases in which transaction statements submitted for research fund expenditures did not match the actual statements, and that there were indications of research card payments being split into multiple transactions.

Hwang also raised allegations that the professor had harassed students who testified about the suspected misuse of research funds. She questioned the results of the university’s internal investigation and called on the National Research Foundation to conduct a thorough investigation and take appropriate action.

Discipline at the National Security Research Institute also came under scrutiny. Hwang cited a case in which employees played the online game "StarCraft" for extended periods during working hours and criticized the fact that they received only reprimands.

She also said allegations had emerged that a manager harassed an employee who reported the matter internally, and called for an immediate investigation and action. Kim Young-sik, chairman of the National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST), said the matter would be reviewed closely.

Hwang also noted that the ceiling on additional penalty surcharges for research fund misuse had been raised to 30 times the amount involved, and called for strict enforcement of the system. In response, Kim Seong-su, director of the R&D Policy Office at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "We will strictly enforce the amended system, which takes effect in March next year."

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