The Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Council (Speaker Hong Sung-hyun) held an appointment ceremony for the 2024 fiscal year audit committee members at the council building on April 23rd.

The audit committee for Chungcheongnam-do's 2024 fiscal year consists of 14 members. This includes three provincial councilors who were elected as committee members during the 357th extraordinary session plenary meeting on March 19th: Joo Jin-ha (Budget Committee II, People Power Party), Park Jung-soo (Cheonan Constituency 9, People Power Party), and Jung Byung-in (Cheonan Constituency 8, Democratic Party of Korea). The committee is further comprised of two certified public accountants, two tax accountants, three former public officials, and four experts in budget and accounting. This diverse composition aims to ensure a comprehensive and objective review of the fiscal management.

The newly appointed audit committee members will conduct a thorough examination of the approximately 16 trillion KRW budget executed by the Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Government and the Chungcheongnam-do Office of Education during the 2024 fiscal year. This audit, spanning from April 23rd to May 12th (20 days), will cover the general and special accounts, as well as various funds. The primary objective is to assess the legality, accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness of the budget execution.

During the audit period, the committee will meticulously analyze the financial statements and related documents prepared by the provincial government and the education office. Based on this analysis, they will formulate an audit opinion report. This report will then be submitted to the Governor of Chungcheongnam-do and the Superintendent of the Chungcheongnam-do Office of Education, who are required to attach the audit opinion report when seeking approval for the fiscal year 2024 settlement. The final approval process is scheduled to take place during the 359th regular session of the provincial council, commencing on June 10th. The settlement will be reviewed by the relevant standing committees and the Budget and Accounts Special Committee before being put to a vote at the plenary session.

Speaker Hong Sung-hyun emphasized the significance of the audit, stating, "The fiscal year-end audit is a crucial process that reviews whether the valuable tax revenue of the citizens has been executed reasonably and efficiently for the betterment of their lives and happiness, and it completes the administrative work of 2024." He further urged the committee members, "As this is a meaningful task that safeguards the rights of the citizens, I ask for a thorough and substantial audit."

The Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Council's commitment to a rigorous and transparent fiscal audit underscores its dedication to ensuring accountability and responsible governance for the benefit of the province's residents. The diverse expertise of the appointed committee members is expected to contribute significantly to a comprehensive and insightful review of the 2024 fiscal year expenditures.

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