‘No favors granted in “East Asian Culture City” project’
Province denies wrongdoing in selection of partner organization



The provincial government has denied accusations that it improperly favored a certain institution as a partner in an “East Asian Culture City” project, and funded it with 1.4 billion won.


Critics say officials had decided to work with the institution prior to making any official search for or announcement of a partner. They contend that the institution in question did not even exist a year before it was selected for the project and received the significant state funding.


In a statement released on Wednesday, provincial officials argued that the organization had been active in various cultural events since 2013, but that it had only registered with the court a month before the province selected it.


The statement did not offer an explanation regarding another alleged problem - why the institution improperly used the provincial funding. It was earmarked solely for operational costs, but utilized for personnel and other expenditures.


道, "동아시아문화도시 사업자 선정 특혜 아니다"


동아시아문화도시 문화교류 사업 추진과정에서 특정단체에 14억원의 보조금이 지원돼 특혜의혹이 제기된 것과 관련해 제주도가 사업자를 사전에 내정했다는 의혹은 사실이 아니라고 해명했습니다.


제주특별자치도는 오늘(26일) 해명자료를 내고 선정된 단체가 1년 이상 활동 실적이 없었다는 지적에 대해 공모 한달전에 법원에 등기한 것은 맞지만 지난 2013년부터 각종 문화 활동을 해 왔다고 밝혔습니다.


하지만 운영비성 예산인 각종 인건비와 대행비를 보조금으로 쓸 수 없다는 지적에 대해서는
이렇다할 해명을 하지 못했습니다.