[Korea Farmers' News Agency, Reporter Kim Kyung-wook] The National Federation of Farmers' Associations and the National Cooperative Federation of the Service Finance Workers' Union of the Democratic Labor Party held a press conference in front of the headquarters of the Central Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives in Seoul's Jung-gu district on the 1st, calling for reform of the Agricultural Cooperatives and stronger government oversight. They stated, "Since the introduction of the elected chairman system in 1988, six out of seven chairmen have been legally prosecuted for illicit funds, bribery, illegal electioneering, etc., and embezzlement, personnel irregularities, and illegal loans are still recurring in regional agricultural and livestock cooperatives." They added, "However, even though the authority of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to supervise and take personnel actions is clearly stipulated in the Agricultural Cooperatives Act, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is using 'investigation results' and 'Supreme Court judgments' as reasons to avoid oversight and personnel measures."