The Korea Association of the Deaf gave a gold bar worth 30 million won to a senior executive with long service using association funds. It was also uncovered that association executives took a trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand, using a contingency fund.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 16th that an audit it conducted in Jan. of the Korea Association of the Deaf found 23 improper matters. Accordingly, it issued 13 institutional warnings, nine corrective orders, and 16 notifications. For legal violations, the ministry requested a police investigation in Nov. last year and will take additional action if charges are substantiated.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the association gave a gold bar worth 30 million won to a senior executive with long service. Taking into account that such gifts had not been provided to transfer long-service recipients, the ministry determined the association had given an unusually expensive gift.
The association appears to have used a contingency fund for executives' trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Under its articles of association, it may conduct exchange projects with disability welfare groups at home and abroad, but there were no exchange activities with any local disability organization during the trip.
Contrary to its internal rules, the association also raised and paid the executive director's position allowance from 1.5 million won to 3 million won per month for one year starting in Apr. 2023.
The association also reportedly provided a position allowance for one year and two months to the head of the Central Sign Language Interpretation Center, who is not eligible for the position allowance. The Ministry of Health and Welfare decided to recover 43 million won. The association also withheld or deducted disability employment incentives to regional associations without standards.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to withhold budget disbursements and restrict government-subsidized projects if the association fails to faithfully comply with the government's corrective demands or does not respond to improvement requests. If there is no sign of willingness to improve, it will consider early termination of the entrustment contract for the Central Sign Language Interpretation Center's operations and canceling the association's permit. It also plans to continue oversight, including checking membership lists and donations and ensuring completion of sexual violence prevention training.