The South Korean government is reforming the election system for the NongHyup Chairman to allow direct voting by its members to mitigate corruption issues.
The South Korean government, through a recent joint discussion, has decided to reform the election system for the Chairman of NongHyup (National Agricultural Cooperative Federation) to enable direct election by its members, effectively blocking potential 'pre-buying' of votes. Currently, the chair is elected through the votes of 1,110 regional delegates, which has led to concerns over corruption and the manipulation of the election process. The reform aims to address systemic issues highlighted by a special audit that revealed weak internal controls and lack of transparency in management and personnel decisions.
The proposed changes include allowing the 2.04 million members to either vote directly for the chairman or form a voting body for the election. This reform will be accompanied by stricter penalties for electoral bribery, significantly increasing both the jail time and fines for those involved in vote-buying. This action comes in response to recent investigations which revealed fifteen cases of potential misconduct, including embezzlement and bribery associated with the current chairman, Kang Ho-dong, underscoring the urgent need for reform in the cooperative's governance.
In addition to electoral reforms, closer internal audits and controls will be emphasized through the establishment of a new NongHyup Audit Committee, which will consist of seven members, including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Financial Services Commission. This committee aims to enhance transparency and integrity within the agricultural cooperative’s operations. Furthermore, mandatory reporting of employee misconduct is to be enforced, and measures will be taken to suspend employees found guilty of corruption in judicial proceedings, emphasizing the government's commitment to mitigating corruption within the cooperative structure.
