Ulju-gun council wraps up 2026 administrative audit with 275 findings

The Ulju-gun Council in Ulsan adopted audit result reports compiled by each standing committee at the second plenary session of the 249th regular session, held Friday.

The council conducted its administrative audit from Oct. 20 to Wednesday, covering 50 agencies ranging from the planning and budget office to township administrative welfare centers. The audit produced a total of 275 findings: the council operating committee issued four recommendations; the administrative welfare committee flagged 66 corrective orders and 125 recommendations; and the economy and construction committee issued 23 corrective orders and 57 recommendations — amounting to 89 corrective orders and 186 recommendations overall.

The audit examined public healthcare, hub facility operations and complaint handling to assess whether budget outlays and project results were translating into tangible services for residents, while also scrutinizing accountability for operations and management after project launches and facility construction.

Ulju Hospital, which opened to address a healthcare gap in the southern part of the county, drew fire over the foundation's public healthcare responsibilities and the county's oversight framework after the circumstances surrounding the operating agency's notice of withdrawal — and its subsequent retraction — came to light.

A review of post-expenditure management flagged recurring repair and replacement problems with ground-level pedestrian traffic signals, and called for measures to prevent a recurrence of illegal waste dumping in Naewari, Duseo-myeon. The council also said fairness in contract management needed to improve, citing the concentration of discretionary contracts among a small number of firms.

The council also examined improvements to everyday infrastructure, calling for expanded electric vehicle charging facilities at public parking lots and measures to address the installation of water, sewage and city gas lines in areas subject to land-use consent procedures for private village roads.

Additional proposals included resolving property rights restrictions stemming from long-unexecuted urban planning facilities and making use of land left over after road construction for parking lots and rest areas.

Council Speaker Jeong U-sik said lawmakers had identified problems and proposed alternatives based on thorough review of materials and on-site input. "I ask the executive branch to fully review the findings from this audit and put in place improvements that residents can actually feel," Jeong said.