NGO watchdog gives Lee government’s first audit an F

Jan 08, 2026, 08:08 am

A civic watchdog group rated the first National Assembly audit under the Lee Jae-myung administration an “F,” citing a crisis in the separation of powers and deep political confrontation.

The National Assembly Audit NGO Monitor Group, a coalition of civic organizations that has overseen parliamentary audits for 27 years with participation from more than 1,000 experts, said in a statement Wednesday that the Lee government’s inaugural audit began with controversy over the alleged detention of Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae and ended amid allegations involving Kim Hyun-ji, the presidential first secretary.

The group listed several reasons for the failing grade, including what it called the “worst crisis to date in the separation of powers,” insufficient preparation for the audits, extreme polarization marked by refusal to recognize opposing views, and hearings related to Jo that “provoked backlash rather than accountability.”

As key features of this year’s audits, the monitor cited the unchecked authority of standing committee chairs, the shortened audit period, the unusual situation of seven senior ruling-party lawmakers serving as ministers or heads of audited agencies, and unresolved allegations surrounding Kim.

The group was particularly critical of how some standing committee chairs conducted proceedings. “Committee chairs stripped lawmakers of their right to question and turned the audits into confrontational interrogations, acting as investigators rather than overseers,” it said.

The monitor group includes the Korea Consumer Federation and other civil society organizations, and its annual assessments are closely watched as an independent barometer of the effectiveness and fairness of parliamentary oversight.

#National Assembly audit #NGO Monitor Group #Lee Jae-myung government #separation of powers