The nation's statistics agency said it feels a heavy responsibility after the state auditor concluded that household income and employment figures were tampered with under the previous Moon Jae-in administration and requested an investigation into related officials. 

In a formal statement on Friday, Statistics Korea said it feels accountable for causing public concern over the audit results and vowed to prevent a recurrence and enhance neutrality and transparency in all areas of compiling and releasing national data in a bid to regain public trust.

One Statistics Korea official told KBS that nothing is decided on internal disciplinary action as the agency has never before faced a situation of this kind and that it will take measures in accordance with findings by the prosecution.

Unveiling its results on Friday, the Board of Audit Inspection said that as household income began to decline in July 2017, Statistics Korea, pressured by the government, fabricated data to announce an on-year rise in income levels.

The then presidential office quoted that announcement to claim that income distribution improved for the first time since 2015 as a way to promote the government's income-led growth policy, according to the BAI.