Court Sentences 1 Year 6 Months Imprisonment and 2 Years Probation in First Trial
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, has filed an appeal with the Seoul Central District Court regarding the first trial’s guilty verdict on charges of unfair special hiring of dismissed teachers.
On the morning of the 30th, Superintendent Cho explained during the opening remarks of a senior staff meeting held at the Office of Education, “The special hiring of dismissed teachers in 2018 was not a ‘private request’ but a ‘public petition,’ and I judged that embracing dismissed teachers who were pushed out onto the streets back into the system was proactive administration for social harmony and integration.” He added, “The special hiring process was conducted faithfully in the spirit of open competitive selection after two rounds of strict legal consultations.”
Superintendent Cho further stated, “I will actively demonstrate that the proper procedures were followed within the scope of the superintendent’s discretionary authority and ensure that the outcome is corrected in the second trial.”
Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, who is suspected of irregular hiring involving dismissed teachers, is attending a trial held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 3rd. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@
Earlier, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Superintendent Cho, who was indicted on charges of unfairly specially hiring dismissed teachers (abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights and violation of the National Public Officials Act), to 1 year and 6 months in prison with a 2-year probation.
If the verdict is finalized, Superintendent Cho will lose his position. According to the Local Education Autonomy Act and the Public Official Election Act, a person sentenced to imprisonment or higher, whose sentence has not been suspended, is subject to dismissal.
Accordingly, Superintendent Cho judged that there should be no slightest disturbance within the Office of Education or at the frontline educational sites and is understood to have made this special request.
He urged the senior staff, “As you have always done, please maintain your composure in your respective positions and do your best in your duties so that Seoul’s education policies can be implemented without the slightest wavering,” emphasizing, “Please gather your strength with an unyielding spirit for the future of Seoul’s students.”
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