The scandal-hit Social Insurance Agency admitted Sept. 9 that a staff member in 1995 had instructed companies falling short on premiums for a government-run pension scheme to falsely claim their employees' monthly income was lower so the firms could pay less.

The agency reported the falsification to a meeting of Cabinet ministers Sept. 9, marking the first time it admitted the involvement of a staff member in the illicit conduct, which apparently met the needs of employers and the agency.