[2026 Parliamentary Audit] Ruling and Opposition Clash at Political Affairs Committee: Ruling Party Targets Hangang Bus, Opposition Firefighting Finances

Oct. 21: Political Affairs Committee's Comprehensive Audit of Non-Financial Agencies
Ruling Party Raises Hangang Bus Kickback Allegations
Opposition and Government Spar over Improving Firefighters' Working Conditions

At a comprehensive audit by the National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee, the ruling and opposition parties each went on the offensive, targeting allegations surrounding Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s Han River Bus project and the Lee Jaemyung administration’s firefighting finance policy.

On October 21, the committee conducted a comprehensive audit of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the Fair Trade Commission, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, the Personal Information Protection Commission and other agencies.

Lim Kigeun, chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, answers questions from members of the National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee during a comprehensive audit of the non-financial sector at the National Assembly on the 21st. Photo courtesy of Yonhap News Agency.

The Democratic Party of Korea focused on allegations, raised during the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee’s audit of the Seoul Metropolitan Government on October 15, that wrongdoing involving kickbacks in the Han River Bus project had been covered up.

In questioning Jeong Il-yeon, chair of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, Democratic Party lawmaker Han Min-su claimed, “There has been an internal disclosure that the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Audit Committee even drafted a request for an investigation into allegations of kickbacks during the Han River Bus project, but that the request was put on hold after it was reported to Mayor Oh, and instructions were given to destroy the related materials.”

He continued, “If it is confirmed that someone ordered the destruction of materials to cover up corruption, that person must also be held accountable,” and urged, “If Mayor Oh meets the criteria for prosecution, the commission should file a complaint in its own name.”

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Min-gyu claimed that Mayor Oh violated the Anti-Corruption Act by saying during a parliamentary audit that he would track down the person who reported allegations about the Han River Bus project and by disclosing the reporter’s identity. “At the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee audit on October 19, Mayor Oh said he would track down the whistleblower and disclosed the person’s identity,” Park said. “This could constitute a violation of the law.”

In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said in a separate statement, “We have not received any separate official notification from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission regarding the person’s status as a public-interest whistleblower,” and argued, “It is difficult to regard the remarks made during the parliamentary audit as violating the legal principles for protecting public-interest whistleblowers.”

That day, the People Power Party continued its offensive over the government’s policy direction on firefighting finances. People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jae-seop asked Lim Kigeun, chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, “What do you think of the phrase ‘a siphon on firefighting funds’?” and pressed him on the government’s stance toward firefighting budgets.

Lim said the phrase was “inappropriate in some respects,” adding, “Since both national and local government funds are being invested, we need to consider and examine from various perspectives how to adjust the proportions.”

“We need to go beyond consideration and begin serious discussions on improving firefighters’ working conditions,” Kim said, emphasizing that “the Office for Government Policy Coordination has an important role to play in this process.”

Lim replied, “I fundamentally agree that the central and local governments should work together to improve firefighters’ working conditions and expand their equipment,” but added, “It would not be appropriate to provide specific measures here.”

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