SEOUL — Over the past five years, nearly 150 officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) and its affiliated agencies have faced disciplinary action for offenses ranging from drunk driving and sexual misconduct to accepting bribes, a recent audit revealed.

According to data submitted by MOLIT to Rep. Kim Jong-yang of the ruling People Power Party for the parliamentary audit on October 7, a total of 149 disciplinary actions were taken against ministry and affiliated personnel from 2021 through August of this year.

At the Daejeon Regional Office for Land and Management alone, 13 disciplinary cases were recorded: 1 in 2021, 5 in 2022, 1 in 2023, 2 in 2024, and 4 last year.

Drunk driving was the most frequent infraction, accounting for 4 cases. Poor performance of duties followed with 2 cases, while sexual misconduct, assault and property damage, farmland law violations, theft, acceptance of entertainment, and dereliction of duty accounted for 1 case each.

By disciplinary level, there were 5 reprimands, 3 pay cuts, 3 suspensions, and 2 dismissals. Severe disciplinary measures—such as suspension and dismissal—totaled 5 cases, accounting for 38.5% of the 13 total actions in Daejeon.

Notable specific incidents included a driving clerk in October 2022 and an engineering clerk in May 2024 who were both dismissed for drunk driving. An engineering inspector also received a three-month suspension for drunk driving that same month.

Additional cases from Daejeon included a facility inspector receiving a three-month suspension for sexual misconduct in May 2021, an engineering clerk receiving a reprimand for assault and property damage in May 2022, and an electrical operations assistant receiving a one-month pay cut for accepting entertainment in August of last year.

Nationwide, drunk driving and sexual offenses also emerged as primary reasons for discipline. Drunk driving was the most common offense with 37 cases, followed by 22 cases of sex-related misconduct—including sexual harassment, forced groping, sexual violence, illegal filming, and prostitution. Cases involving bribery, acceptance of valuables and entertainment, mediation for profit, and violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act totaled 17.

Nationwide disciplinary penalties included 45 reprimands, 39 pay cuts, 36 suspensions, 19 dismissals, 6 firings, and 4 demotions. Severe disciplinary actions—including firings, dismissals, demotions, and suspensions—numbered 65, representing 43.6% of the total.

Between January and August of this year, an additional 17 disciplinary actions were issued. In February, a MOLIT senior scientific and technological official was fired for accepting bribes, while in June, an administrative inspector at the Busan Regional Office for Land and Management was fired for mediation-related corruption. In July, a facility inspector at the same Busan office was demoted for violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

"Policies from a ministry that has lost the public's trust cannot gain traction," Rep. Kim noted, urging MOLIT leadership to step forward and initiate internal organizational reform.

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