Audit says Yoon's office rushed East Sea gas drilling despite weak feasibility

The Board of Audit and Inspection reported that Korea National Oil Corporation proceeded with deep-sea gas drilling in the East Sea before a final feasibility study was completed and without adequate verification of earlier findings. The audit also cited mishandling of the technical evaluation and insufficient scrutiny of the limited competitive bidding process. It further uncovered that Yoon Suk Yeol’s office repeatedly urged the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to accelerate the project’s schedule so it could be completed within his administration.

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan had originally requested the project in October of the previous year, citing public-interest reasons. While the audit calls for disciplinary action against the oil corporation’s employees, it states there are no applicable regulations to penalize the ministry’s reports or Yoon’s briefing. The findings highlight procedural lapses in a high-profile energy initiative that was initially promoted as potentially holding up to 14 billion barrels of oil and gas.