[2026 National Assembly Audit] "Why is the FTC chairman's wife a director at an organization under audit?"... Joo Byungki: "Absolutely no conflict of interest"

Potential conflict of interest raised at parliamentary audit
Chairman dismisses concerns over a conflict of interest

Fair Trade Commission Chairman Joo Byung-ki said on the 21st that there was “no conflict of interest” regarding his spouse’s appointment as a non-executive director at a public institution.

Fair Trade Commission Chair Joo Byungki answers lawmakers’ questions during a comprehensive audit of the Office for Government Policy Coordination and other agencies at the National Assembly on Oct. 21, 2026. Photo by Yoon Dongju.

At a comprehensive audit held by the National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee that day, People Power Party lawmaker Shin Dong-wook pointed to the appointment of Chairman Joo’s spouse as a non-executive director at KEPCO Engineering & Construction Company and asked, “Is there absolutely no conflict of interest?” Chairman Joo responded as above. Earlier, Shin had criticized the appointment, saying, “Does the wife of the head of the Fair Trade Commission, who is a university professor, really need to take on that role as well?” He added, “KEPCO Engineering & Construction is also subject to the Fair Trade Commission’s rigorous review of companies’ unfair business practices.”

Chairman Joo’s spouse, Professor Kim, who teaches at a university, was appointed a non-executive director at KEPCO Engineering & Construction last month. The company has a record of being sanctioned by the Fair Trade Commission in 2012 for violating the Subcontracting Act. After this became known, controversy arose over whether a conflict of interest would exist if KEPCO Engineering & Construction were to face an investigation, review or sanction by the commission in the future. However, some argued that there was no problem with the appointment, noting that a family member’s employment at another institution does not violate the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act and that the recusal system could be used if the company came before the commission for review.

Chairman Joo stressed that his spouse’s work as a non-executive director was an independent pursuit unrelated to his duties as Fair Trade Commission chairman. He countered, “My wife has long been active in society in her own field of expertise,” and maintained that the appointment simply reflected recognition of the academic expertise and capabilities she had built up over the years.

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