[Editorial] Digging into the alleged fabrication of data

The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) is pushing on with a probe on the allegation about data tampering by government offices under the previous Moon Jae-in administration. The BAI suspects the presidential office and others interfered with the processing of dealing with various economic data on income, hiring and housing prices. The government watchdog has questioned former chiefs of Statistics Korea — Hwang Soo-kyung and Kang Shin-wook — and plans to summon senior presidential secretary for economic policy Hong Jang-pyo under president Moon.

The focus is on income, employment and housing data. Under the last administration, minimum wage was sharply raised to meet the government’s signature income-led growth policy since Moon took office in 2017. But the income of the bottom 20 percent bracket fell sharply in the first quarter of 2018 after a double-digit raise in the minimum wage. After the dismal household income survey was announced, Hwang was replaced by Kang. The office since then expanded the sample household number and changed other methodology in survey.

Statistics Korea in August 2019 released data showing contract workers surged by 870,000 from a year prior despite the government policy to reduce non-full-time workers by mandating their conversion to permanent position in the public sector. Kang explained the finding cannot be compared to the past years due to change in the survey method. The BAI is examining whether the presidential office had any influence over his explanation.

During Moon’s term, the housing prices posed by state-run Korea Real Estate Board showed a big gap with market prices. The BAI will investigate whether the gap stemmed from the limitation in the survey method or whether the numbers were tampered to serve political purpose.

The government employee union of Statistics Korea issued a statement, denying any fabrication because changes to samples and other survey method took place in previous administrations, too. Changes can be made in surveying method to raise accuracy of statistics. But if numbers were skewed to justify income-led growth policy, the move can be a different matter. Data tampering must be punished and measures must be drawn out to prevent such actions. Politicians should wait for BAI findings before starting a fight. The agency must have grounds for its argument to ensure no political motive behind its probe.

The investigation must serve to strengthen the precision of data. Accurate and objective data become the basis for state management. If data is distorted, public policy cannot be designed properly. The damage would go to the people. Researchers also need accurate data to examine economic conditions and make suggestions. Statistics Korea must use the opportunity to ensure accuracy and neutrality in producing data.