Seoul: Kang Hoon-sik, presidential chief of staff, on Monday ordered action on suspected business abuses by retired employees of public institutions and state-run companies. "Illegal and unjust preferential treatment for retirees of public institutions has burdened the public for decades," Kang said while presiding over a meeting with chief presidential aides.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kang directed the finance ministry to investigate such cases across all public institutions and develop measures to eliminate them. The focus is on ensuring that retired public employees do not misuse their past affiliations for personal gain.

Kang highlighted a specific case involving a retirees' association at the state-run Korea Expressway Corp. The group is accused of making excessive profits by improperly managing expressway service stations. Kang emphasized the need for efforts to restore public trust, which should include the retrieval of unjust proceeds and a thorough investigation into any illegal activities.

The initiative underscores the administration's commitment to maintaining integrity and accountability within public institutions, aiming to prevent any further exploitation of public resources by former employees.