PSPD in English Socio-Economic 2001-09-15   1485

Expediency fund should be made public

Expediency fund should be made public

Transparent Society Campaign


What is an expediency fund?
An expediency fund is classified as the business expenses in a budget. In detail, it is divided into ‘office management expenses’, ‘policy proceeding expenses’, ‘the expenses for staff addition’, and so on. Because expediency funds are part of the budget that comes from of taxes, it should be spent only for public use. In spite of this, chiefs like ministers and mayors regard it personal private money.

Why should public servants make public their expediency fund?
Fund consumption particulars and expense documentary evidence should be made public according to the freedom of information act. In Japan, through the decision of a court, it is clear that the matters (consumption date, place, amount of money, number of participants, and the objective of the meeting) should be made public.
The latest news is that a similar judgment was passed at a high court in Korea. It is clearly stipulated in the decision that personal information, like the name and position of an individual, should be made public when he or she was given a reception or gifts with expediency funds. If public servants consume funds properly, there is no reason not to make public particulars and documentary evidence to taxpayers.

Recent PSPD’s activity
On July 25th, 2001, PSPD won a suit on documentary evidence of funds against Seoul and Seoul city authorities. PSPD and Purun Civil Community won a suit concerning the freedom of information against Seoul and 25 district offices of Seoul. It is against the law not to make public the funds of Seoul city authorities in these cases.

Organizing ‘Making public the expediency fund network’ on a national scale, 50 NGOs are taking legal proceedings against some 70 local governments. The cases for the expediency fund have been decided in favor of the plaintiffs, NGOs, up to now. In addition, the network is about to publish a white paper, after arranging its contents.


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