Members demand disclosure of chair's salary, corporate card use and GV80 lease
Kim says records available at office, but members ask why not online
The Korean Association of Elementary School Teachers has been engulfed in internal conflict over its financial management, delegate selection and bylaw revision procedures.
Former officials have demanded disclosure of Chair Kim Hak-hee's salary, corporate card use and company vehicle records. Kim issued a public statement in response, but calls from members for a full accounting have only grown louder.
The disputes center on financial transparency and decision-making procedures. Members have raised concerns about the chair's salary and corporate card and vehicle use, calling for disclosure of detailed financial records, the delegate selection process, executive appointments and bylaw revision procedures.
The association is an independent teachers union focused on elementary school educators, founded in October 2023. It defines its mission as representing the voices of elementary school teachers and protecting their professional rights, and has provided teaching-rights counseling and legal support. Three years after its founding, membership stands at around 10,000 elementary school teachers nationwide. Monthly dues are 10,000 won ($7) per member, which works out to roughly 1.2 billion won a year based on current membership.
A person who identified himself as the former head of external affairs and public relations at the association's policy bureau said he had reviewed internal financial records and found that Kim's salary and corporate card spending differed significantly from those of other executive members. He urged the association to publicly disclose itemized records — including the Genesis GV80 leased in the association's name, the chair's salary, corporate card charges, and travel and accommodation expenses — and to conduct an external audit.
Kim recently issued a statement saying she had "no reason to hide anything" related to the finances, and that members could visit the association's office to review the account books and related documents. She said information that could not be disclosed legally — such as personal data or materials related to ongoing investigations — would be provided to the extent permitted by law.
However, Kim acknowledged that the association's early accounting and administrative systems had been inadequate. "We are currently managing our finances through an accounting program and an external accounting professional," she said, adding that she had not used membership dues for personal purposes in violation of any rules. She also said that multiple criminal complaints filed against her by the former head of the policy bureau — including allegations of embezzlement — had been closed by police with decisions of non-referral or no charges found.
On the GV80 lease, Kim said the vehicle was necessary for frequent nationwide travel and that the contract had followed the rules and procedures in place at the time. She said the lease was later terminated after members raised concerns about excessive vehicle costs, and that personal vehicle repair expenses previously charged to the association had since been repaid out of her own pocket.
Even after the statement was released, member pushback continued. The requirement to visit the office in person to inspect the account books drew sharp criticism, with members asking why the records could not be posted online if there was nothing to hide, and questioning whether they were expected to take leave or use vacation days just to travel to the office.
Members have also called for key financial figures — including recent settlement records, the chair's salary, and itemized amounts for corporate card use, vehicle costs, travel and accommodation — to be made available in a members-only online space, with personal information redacted.
On delegate selection and bylaw revisions, Kim acknowledged that proper election procedures had not been followed in some regions, including cases where a sole candidate was declared elected without a separate approval vote. She said the association plans to hold new delegate elections by direct, secret and anonymous ballot.
"I will acknowledge what was done wrong and correct it," Kim said, adding that she would ensure members could hear both sides and make their own judgments.
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