U.S. air base in Gunsan raided over alleged fraud by local employee

GUNSAN, South Korea, June 11 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Thursday raided a U.S. air base in the western coastal city of Gunsan over allegations of fraud involving a local employee at the base.

The Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office carried out the search and seizure at Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, some 170 kilometers south of Seoul, and the worker's home as part of its probe into the allegations.

The worker is accused of buying materials for air base maintenance from an electronic material supplier at costs higher than the market value from 2021 to 2023 and partially pocketing the price difference.

Prosecutors suspect the worker gained unfair profits of around 240 million won (US$157,000) from such deals.

A prosecution official said they were securing evidence related to suspicions of corrupt acceptance of benefits by a contract supervisor, while declining to give details of an ongoing investigation.

This file photo shows the entrance to the U.S. 8th Fighter Wing based in Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, some 170 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)