Im Tae-hee, Secretary to Gyeonggi Education Superintendent, Controversy Over 'Fundraising'

Panoramic View of Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education Southern Building

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] It has been revealed that two secretaries working in the Secretary Office of Gyeonggi-do Superintendent of Education Lim Tae-hee conducted fundraising activities for the 'A Policy Foundation' targeting education office officials, sparking controversy.

On the 17th, the Forum for Realizing Fairness and Justice in Education (Fair Forum), composed of current and former principals, issued a statement saying, "The A Policy Foundation, which is currently under scrutiny, had Superintendent Lim Tae-hee as its chairman until October 2017, and one of the secretaries served as the executive director until six months ago," and criticized, "Can fundraising for such an organization really be considered a normal fundraising activity?"

They continued, "Since the A Policy Foundation has a close relationship with Superintendent Lim Tae-hee, which public official could refuse to support it?" and added, "Given the impure intentions, we only hope that the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission conducts a thorough investigation."

Earlier, on the 13th, the Fair Forum submitted a petition to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, stating that there were more than just one or two suspicious points discovered during the fundraising activities for the 'A Policy Foundation' conducted by two secretaries working in Superintendent Lim Tae-hee's Secretary Office targeting public officials.

The Fair Forum particularly emphasized, "There have been reports that the secretaries in the Secretary Office still exert influence over that foundation. We are seriously concerned whether proper accounting management is being conducted there," and stressed, "It is necessary to thoroughly examine the foundation's accounts through a public interest audit to verify whether any funds were used for personal purposes."

The Fair Forum also raised issues with the Education Office's Audit Office.

They pointed out, "The Audit Office, which should meticulously investigate whether any inappropriate acts occurred during the fundraising process, has taken no action," and criticized, "They are even refusing to conduct an audit and have not scheduled any audit plans."

Furthermore, they stated, "Since the auditor is also a fixed-term public official like the secretaries and entered the Education Office alongside the superintendent, there are doubts about whether a proper audit can be conducted," and argued, "A strong audit and investigation by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission are necessary to set Gyeonggi education back on the right track."

Previously, Secretary B, belonging to the Superintendent's Secretary Office, recently sparked controversy by engaging in regular fundraising activities for the A Policy Foundation. The A Policy Foundation is also where C, who currently works in the Education Office Secretary Office alongside B, was employed.

Relevant laws stipulate that anyone who solicits donations through fraudulent means may face imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won. Additionally, those who use donations for purposes other than the intended fundraising, fail to fulfill disclosure obligations, or provide false disclosures are subject to the same penalties.