ID :
58258
Thu, 04/30/2009 - 07:32
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/58258
The shortlink copeid
Parliament passes plan to reform farm cooperative
SEOUL, April 29 (Yonhap) -- Parliament passed a bill Wednesday to streamline operations at the agricultural cooperative with 2.4 million members to better meet the needs of farmers.
The move, expected to go into effect in early November, aims to overhaul the
management structure of the country's scandal-plagued organization and enhance
competitiveness, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.
Under the revised rules, the chairman will be effectively barred from exerting
influence over personnel management decisions like promotions and postings, a
practice that has been cited for leading to a lack of checks and balances, said
the ministry that advocated for the change. Such a concentration of power had led
to corruption in the past.
The last three heads of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, better
known as Nonghyup, have gone to jail on corruption charges, with Chung Dae-kun,
who led the organization until 2007, involved in giving bribes to the brother of
former President Roh Moo-hyun.
"Lawmakers have made the right decision that can fuel the country's agricultural
sector growth," an official said. He said under the new rules, Nonghyup should be
able to make the necessary changes that can serve the interests of its members.
The official said that in the future, all postings will be carried out by a
seven-person personnel recommendation committee that will be picked by the board
of directors.
He added that the new Nonghyup will be effectively run by board instead being
controlled from the chairman's office.
In addition, the chairman will be limited to a single four-year term. Under the
old system, there was no limit to how many terms the chairman could serve.
Measures passed at the plenary session also call for the chairman to be elected
by an electoral college instead of allowing each cooperative member to cast a
vote, with the heads of large regional cooperatives to become non-permanent posts
with no salaries.
Exact details of the size of the cooperatives that will be subject to such
changes have yet to be decided, although insiders said those with assets
exceeding 250 billion won (US$186.5 million) may be required to make the
transition.
This arrangement could reduce "over-competition" to secure posts and cut back on
overall costs that could be spent elsewhere. Many large cooperatives' heads have
been criticized for receiving substantial salaries.
Other measures call for increasing the size of individual cooperatives from the
county level -- which is currently the smallest grouping -- to at least the ward
or city level.
Since the change permits overlapping the boundaries of larger cooperatives,
farmers will be allowed to pick an organization that promises to better meet
their requirements instead of being tied strictly to regional organization.
This can fuel competition to grab more farmers, translating into better services.
Larger basic units of cooperatives can lead to economy of scale and lower costs
that can benefit ordinary members.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
The move, expected to go into effect in early November, aims to overhaul the
management structure of the country's scandal-plagued organization and enhance
competitiveness, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.
Under the revised rules, the chairman will be effectively barred from exerting
influence over personnel management decisions like promotions and postings, a
practice that has been cited for leading to a lack of checks and balances, said
the ministry that advocated for the change. Such a concentration of power had led
to corruption in the past.
The last three heads of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, better
known as Nonghyup, have gone to jail on corruption charges, with Chung Dae-kun,
who led the organization until 2007, involved in giving bribes to the brother of
former President Roh Moo-hyun.
"Lawmakers have made the right decision that can fuel the country's agricultural
sector growth," an official said. He said under the new rules, Nonghyup should be
able to make the necessary changes that can serve the interests of its members.
The official said that in the future, all postings will be carried out by a
seven-person personnel recommendation committee that will be picked by the board
of directors.
He added that the new Nonghyup will be effectively run by board instead being
controlled from the chairman's office.
In addition, the chairman will be limited to a single four-year term. Under the
old system, there was no limit to how many terms the chairman could serve.
Measures passed at the plenary session also call for the chairman to be elected
by an electoral college instead of allowing each cooperative member to cast a
vote, with the heads of large regional cooperatives to become non-permanent posts
with no salaries.
Exact details of the size of the cooperatives that will be subject to such
changes have yet to be decided, although insiders said those with assets
exceeding 250 billion won (US$186.5 million) may be required to make the
transition.
This arrangement could reduce "over-competition" to secure posts and cut back on
overall costs that could be spent elsewhere. Many large cooperatives' heads have
been criticized for receiving substantial salaries.
Other measures call for increasing the size of individual cooperatives from the
county level -- which is currently the smallest grouping -- to at least the ward
or city level.
Since the change permits overlapping the boundaries of larger cooperatives,
farmers will be allowed to pick an organization that promises to better meet
their requirements instead of being tied strictly to regional organization.
This can fuel competition to grab more farmers, translating into better services.
Larger basic units of cooperatives can lead to economy of scale and lower costs
that can benefit ordinary members.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
