By Kim Da-hee

Three "English villages" operated by Seoul City have come under fire for running for-profit programs that were outside their rules.

The villages ― in Pungnap, Suyu and Gwanak ― were found to have made money with lessons for the TOEIC and other English proficiency tests and lending their facilities for non-educational events, according to the audit bureau of Seoul Metropolitan Government.

These activities violate the city government's rules. The villages were established to give visitors an opportunity to experience foreign culture without traveling to English-speaking countries. They have now been banned from making money with lessons for English tests and other non-educational programs.

Insiders said the programs were needed to keep the facilities operating amid falling sales. The villages have suffered a decline in visitors in recent years, caused by the debut of more effective English education programs.

The audit bureau said the English village in Suyu, northern Seoul, earned 140 million won ($123,424) through holiday programs for TOEIC, a certified English test, four times from 2013 to 2015.

The village in Pungnap-dong, eastern Seoul, had a contract with a university in December 2014 and offered a program for business English and TOEIC to the university's students. The village made about 80 million won ($70,528) from the program.

The Gwanak Camp in Naksungdae, southern Seoul, earned around 20 million won ($17,632) by twice providing additional programs.