Civil servants who recovered W62m in fraudulent reward payments receive W15m bonus

Civil servants who uncovered a scheme of malicious false reports targeting origin-labeling reward payments — and recovered about 62 million won ($46,500) in improperly disbursed rewards and interest — have received a special performance bonus of 15 million won. Officials who used AI to cut avian disease diagnosis times by nearly half, and those who eased supply shortages of apples and chicken, were also recognized for their work.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs presented special performance bonuses and ministerial commendations totaling 150 million won to 42 employees at Government Complex Sejong on Friday. The awards — the third round of special performance recognition this year, following a previous round in August — covered 22 selected achievements.

The top bonus of 15 million won went to two officials from the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, including administrative officer Park Yeon-deok, for exposing the false reports and recovering the illicit payments.

The pair cross-referenced 15,000 field photographs and secured 5,200 pages of evidence to establish the true nature of the fraudulent reporting scheme. They also proved that reports had been filed under borrowed names, filed criminal complaints, and recovered about 62 million won in rewards and interest under the Public Finance Recovery Act. Their work was highly regarded for protecting small business owners who could have suffered repeated harm from the false reports.

Six achievements each earned a bonus of 10 million won, covering AI-based pesticide residue risk prediction, improvements to the avian disease diagnosis system, detection of fraudulent agricultural subsidy claims, recycling of seized farm produce, stabilization of chicken supply, and stabilization of apple production.

Two researchers from the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, including Kim Myeong-jin, analyzed 19,378 pesticide residue inspection records accumulated over five years to develop AI risk-prediction models for 33 cities and counties across the Greater Seoul area. Using the models, they provided preventive information to 13,791 farmers, shifting the approach from reactive measures taken after a violation to proactive risk prediction. The pesticide residue non-compliance rate at the same reference point fell from 2.2 percent to 1.8 percent.

Two researchers from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, including Kim Hye-ryeong, used generative AI to develop an in-house avian disease diagnosis management system. By integrating farm data, necropsy results and laboratory findings into a single platform, they cut the average diagnosis time from 14.1 days to 7.2 days — a reduction of about 49 percent.

Detection of fraudulent agricultural subsidy claims was also among the recognized achievements. Administrative officer Park Jun-sik of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service conducted a persistent investigation of a subject who denied submitting false documents and other fraudulent conduct, ultimately securing the recovery of 1.26 billion won in direct payments and the imposition of penalty surcharges.

A case in which seized imported farm produce was returned to farms rather than destroyed also drew attention. Two officials from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, including administrative officer Han Sang-hyeop, converted 33 metric tons of farm produce seized during a crackdown on smuggled Chinese ritual offerings into compost and provided it free of charge to farms instead of incinerating it, cutting disposal costs by 54 percent.

Achievements in stabilizing the supply of agricultural and livestock products — which directly affect household grocery prices — were also recognized.

Two officials from the ministry's Livestock Management Division, including administrative officer Kim Ju-yeong, responded to a projected shortfall of about 19.14 million chickens after 360,000 broiler breeder hens were culled during the 2025–2026 winter outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza. By extending the production period for breeder hens and negotiating lower supply prices, they helped keep retail chicken prices on a downward trend even during the peak summer demand season.

Two officials from the Horticulture Management Division, including administrative officer Lee Chang-hyeong, led a public-private joint initiative to stabilize apple production. Apple output this year, initially forecast to fall below the previous year's level, is now projected to rise 10.8 percent year-on-year based on the Korea Rural Economic Institute's November estimate. The ministry credited the initiative with helping stabilize apple prices during the chuseok holiday season.

Fifteen additional achievements each earned a bonus of 5 million won, covering areas including minimizing farm damage through heat-wave response measures, opening a Brazilian export channel for feed additives, improving the public rice stockpile procurement system, negotiating quarantine agreements for Korean fruit exports, and introducing a direct-payment scheme for animal welfare-certified livestock farms.

The awards were determined through a process that began with nominations from colleagues, the nominees themselves and the public, followed by expert evaluation, a public assessment panel, a public impact survey and a merit review committee. About 810 members of the public took part in the online impact survey. Bonuses were distributed on a tiered basis between primary and secondary contributors according to each person's degree of contribution.

The ministry plans to identify outstanding achievements from its headquarters and affiliated agencies on a quarterly basis next year and to hold additional ad hoc award rounds for accomplishments requiring immediate recognition.

Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryeong said civil servants who deliver outstanding results must be rewarded accordingly. "We will continue to produce innovative achievements that the public can feel through fair and bold compensation," she said.