Seoul: The presidential office announced on Tuesday the disclosure of spending details related to offbook government funds, a move aimed at enhancing public transparency. These funds have been at the center of political scandals in previous administrations.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Lee Jae Myung government has launched a website that reveals expense details of "special activity funds," along with expenditures for other operations and specific tasks. This is the first time any government has made such disclosures. Special activity funds refer to confidential government spending on state affairs such as diplomacy and national security, details of which were previously kept secret.

The controversy surrounding these funds escalated during the Park Geun-hye administration in 2018, when three former intelligence chiefs were convicted of illegally diverting the funds to support Park's office, with the court labeling them as bribes. Lee, who assumed office in June, had promised to handle these funds responsibly and ensure proper accountability.

The presidential office remarked that while the confidential nature of special activity funds inherently limits disclosure, the decision to release the information respects past court rulings and demonstrates responsible use of taxpayers' money. Previous administrations disclosed only spending amounts by category and examples of usage, but the Lee government plans to release daily records to enhance transparency.

However, certain highly classified matters related to national security will remain undisclosed due to their sensitive nature. The office stated that this unprecedented disclosure will expand public access to information, encourage citizen participation in governance, and mark a significant step toward greater transparency in state administration.