KNOC, KOCOAL chiefs ordered to quit
Sources within the government said Monday it is considering dismissing the heads of state-run enterprises embroiled in alleged recruiting irregularities unless they voluntarily step down.
Rumors abound that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy urged some of the chief executives to resign. These include Korea National Oil Corp. (KNOC) CEO Kim Jung-rae, Korea Coal Corp. (KOCOAL) CEO Baek Chang-hyun and Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP) CEO Jeong Yong-bin.
According to KIDP on Monday, Jeong already announced his resig- nation a few days before the Board of Audit and Inspection ( BA I ) announcement earlier this month on the alleged corruption of the chief executives of public firms.
Kim allegedly forced subordinates to employ his friends as senior managers. Baek had been suspected of hiring a former CEO’s relative and an employee’s daughter without due process. Jeong allegedly allowed a former CEO’s daughter and a friend’s daughter to pass the document screening without assessment.
The BAI demanded the ministries in charge of the public institutions take strict measures. It also asked for investigations of the former CEOs and executives involved in the scandal.
The law allows the ministers to dismiss directors of public institutions or suggest to the President to dismiss them if they are derelict of their duties. Trade Minister Paik Un-gyu can dismiss Jeong, who is the chief of a quasi-government institution. In the cases of Kim and Baek, Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon can ask President Moon Jae-in to dismiss the two chief executives of these public enterprises.
Baek is reportedly considering resigning from his post.