ID :
203590
Fri, 08/26/2011 - 02:24
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/203590
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Procurement scam : Stale food supply is tip of iceberg
Procurement wrongdoings in the military are nothing new in Korea. Civil servants and officers are infamous for developing corrupt ties with contractors. They have long come under criticism for misappropriating taxpayers??? money and accepting bribes from suppliers of weapons and military equipment.
The latest corruption case has erupted over the food supply to soldiers. On Tuesday, the police revealed that nine food suppliers have provided substandard food to the military for the past two years. Investigators booked the heads of the firms, while arresting two officials of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) for allegedly taking bribes from the suppliers.
The police also requested the military to take legal action against eight officers, including a lieutenant colonel, for receiving kickbacks. The officers are suspected of leaking bidding information to the businesses and conniving at the provision of low-quality food items in return for money. The DAPA officials have allegedly accepted kickbacks for purchasing food supplies at costs far higher than market prices.
The case showed that the procurement agency, the military and the contractors collaborated in extorting taxpayers??? money through the illegal deals. The suppliers have even provided stale bread for hamburgers and hardtack with poor quality ingredients. The food processors are also suspected of making illegal profit of 660 million won ($611,000) through price-fixing.
It is a shame that all the players in the food procurement have ignored the health of soldiers who had to eat bad meals, even with rotten items. How could the suspects be blinded by greed and money? Their illegal activities cannot and should not be condoned. Their acts were tantamount to taking 600,000 servicemen hostage to extract a ransom.
The case is only the tip of the iceberg in military procurement irregularities. It comes after former DAPA Commissioner Chang Soo-man resigned over a bribery scandal involving the operation of dining facilities at construction sites in February.
The agency has been mired by a series of bribery scandals. People often say cynically that the nation has set the wolf to guard the sheep. Officials resembling the wolf might try to sell military supplies even to enemies as long as they can make money. Such corrupt and greedy officials could also sell themselves out.
It has been common for retired officers to become lobbyists for defense contractors. They have usually formed corrupt ties with active officers and procurement officials. In this situation, it is hard to eliminate wrongdoings and corruption in officialdom and the military.
Policymakers have vowed to push for procurement and military reform to eliminate corruption. They have talked much but done little. We have to bear in mind that the nation cannot guarantee defense and security without winning the war on corruption. The real enemy is corrupt officials and officers.
The latest corruption case has erupted over the food supply to soldiers. On Tuesday, the police revealed that nine food suppliers have provided substandard food to the military for the past two years. Investigators booked the heads of the firms, while arresting two officials of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) for allegedly taking bribes from the suppliers.
The police also requested the military to take legal action against eight officers, including a lieutenant colonel, for receiving kickbacks. The officers are suspected of leaking bidding information to the businesses and conniving at the provision of low-quality food items in return for money. The DAPA officials have allegedly accepted kickbacks for purchasing food supplies at costs far higher than market prices.
The case showed that the procurement agency, the military and the contractors collaborated in extorting taxpayers??? money through the illegal deals. The suppliers have even provided stale bread for hamburgers and hardtack with poor quality ingredients. The food processors are also suspected of making illegal profit of 660 million won ($611,000) through price-fixing.
It is a shame that all the players in the food procurement have ignored the health of soldiers who had to eat bad meals, even with rotten items. How could the suspects be blinded by greed and money? Their illegal activities cannot and should not be condoned. Their acts were tantamount to taking 600,000 servicemen hostage to extract a ransom.
The case is only the tip of the iceberg in military procurement irregularities. It comes after former DAPA Commissioner Chang Soo-man resigned over a bribery scandal involving the operation of dining facilities at construction sites in February.
The agency has been mired by a series of bribery scandals. People often say cynically that the nation has set the wolf to guard the sheep. Officials resembling the wolf might try to sell military supplies even to enemies as long as they can make money. Such corrupt and greedy officials could also sell themselves out.
It has been common for retired officers to become lobbyists for defense contractors. They have usually formed corrupt ties with active officers and procurement officials. In this situation, it is hard to eliminate wrongdoings and corruption in officialdom and the military.
Policymakers have vowed to push for procurement and military reform to eliminate corruption. They have talked much but done little. We have to bear in mind that the nation cannot guarantee defense and security without winning the war on corruption. The real enemy is corrupt officials and officers.
