On July 27, Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, appeared at the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Department in Gwacheon regarding allegations of unfair special recruitment of dismissed teachers. / Gwacheon = Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] Cho Hee-yeon, the Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, has been reported to the prosecution in connection with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s refusal to submit a copy of Cho Min’s school records (student record) to Korea University. Korea University is currently proceeding with the cancellation of admission for Cho Min, the daughter of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, and had requested a copy of her student record from Han Young Foreign Language High School.
On the morning of the 6th, the Action Alliance for the Restoration of the Rule of Law (Beopse-ryeon), together with about 20 civic groups including the National Parents’ Association Federation and the Next Generation Parents’ Association, held a press conference and then filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office against Superintendent Cho on charges of obstruction of business and abuse of authority.
Beopse-ryeon stated, “In Cho Min’s student record under ‘Off-campus experiential learning situation,’ there is a description of her experience at the ‘Dankook University College of Medicine Pediatric and Adolescent Science Department’ during her first year at Han Young Foreign Language High School, some of which was ruled false through the appellate court trial. Korea University, regarding Cho Min’s admission fraud, requested a copy of her student record from Han Young Foreign Language High School on August 31 to process the admission cancellation in accordance with the ‘Higher Education Act Article 34-6 Admission Cancellation Regulation,’ which states that ‘if a student admitted to the school submits forged or altered documents or has someone else take the exam on their behalf, the university president must cancel the admission.’”
Beopse-ryeon argued, “Although the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education claims it cannot submit the student record based on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Article 30-6 Paragraph 1 Subparagraph 6 of the same act allows providing student records without third-party consent if provided according to other relevant laws. Therefore, when Korea University requests the student record in the process of admission cancellation under the Higher Education Act Article 34-6 and related regulations, it can be provided without third-party consent.”
They continued, “Furthermore, according to Article 30-6 Paragraph 1 Subparagraph 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, administrative agencies with authority to supervise and audit schools can receive student records without third-party consent if necessary for their duties. Thus, if the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has the will, it can obtain the student record from Han Young Foreign Language High School and provide it to Korea University.”
Beopse-ryeon added, “Regarding the correction of the student record, since the appellate court is the final fact-finding trial, the forgery and alteration of Cho Min’s admission documents have been confirmed by the appellate court. Therefore, there is no need to wait for the Supreme Court ruling to correct the student record.”
Beopse-ryeon explained the reason for the complaint, saying, “The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s blocking of Han Young Foreign Language High School’s submission of Cho Min’s student record to Korea University, citing waiting for the Supreme Court ruling and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, constitutes abuse of authority and obstruction of the school’s right to submit the student record. It also constitutes obstruction of Korea University’s academic administration and admission management by intimidation. Therefore, we are filing a criminal complaint against Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon for abuse of authority, obstruction of rights, and obstruction of business by intimidation.”
Earlier, Korea University formed an admission cancellation review committee and requested a copy of Cho Min’s student record from Han Young Foreign Language High School, her alma mater, in August, citing “academic administrative processing related to admission document fraud.” Han Young Foreign Language High School, having received a request from Cho Kuk’s side not to provide the student record, sent an official letter to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to inquire whether submission of the student record was permissible under the interpretation of Article 30-6 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Article 30-6 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act generally prohibits school principals from providing student records or health examination records to third parties without the consent of the student (or the student and their parents/guardians if the student is a minor), but allows exceptions for administrative agency work, selection of students for higher education, criminal investigations, or trials.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education reportedly replied to Han Young Foreign Language High School that submission of the student record was impossible because “five years have passed since the admission screening period and the graduate explicitly expressed refusal.” Although in the first and second trials of Cho Min’s mother, former Dongyang University Professor Jung Kyung-shim, it was judged that Cho Min’s Dongyang University certificate and several internship confirmations were false, and among them, four credentials including internship activities and papers at Dankook University Medical Science Research Institute were included in Cho Min’s high school student record and used for Korea University admission, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s position is that submission is only possible after the Supreme Court ruling confirms and the student record is corrected.
On the other hand, Pusan National University canceled Cho Min’s admission to its medical school in August after reviewing the appellate court results of former Professor Jung.
Beopse-ryeon criticized, “The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education first said in April that correction of the student record was difficult because the appellate trial was ongoing, and now says it will wait for the Supreme Court decision, continuously changing its stance and refusing to cancel Cho Min’s admission. Parents and students are shocked to see the education office, which should lead the eradication of admission fraud, instead protecting it.”
They added, “Admission cancellation is an administrative sanction, not a criminal one. Since the admission fraud has been confirmed by the appellate court, proceeding with admission cancellation is a lawful procedure. Delaying by waiting for the Supreme Court ruling is not only neglect of duty but also trampling on justice and fairness, betraying students and parents, and is an outrageous act. Given the seriousness of the matter, we urge the prosecution to conduct a thorough investigation and severely punish Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon.”
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