[Exclusive] Jeon Myeong-gyu Reinstated as Professor at Korea National Sport University... 4 Years After Dismissal Over 'Ice Skating Corruption'

Former Vice President of the Korea Skating Union Jeon Myeong-gyu, who was dismissed from his professorship after being identified as the main culprit in the "ice skating corruption" scandal, has recently been reinstated, according to an investigation by this newspaper on the 7th.

Former Vice President Jeon Myeong-gyu of the Korea Skating Union [Photo by Yonhap News]

According to sources in the skating and education sectors on that day, Jeon has been working at Korea National Sport University since March, when the first semester of this year began. Several officials from Korea National Sport University, in phone interviews with this newspaper, did not deny that Jeon was attending work at the university but said it was difficult to comment on the circumstances or procedures of his reinstatement due to "legal issues."

Jeon's reinstatement comes after four years. In August 2019, he was dismissed and fined by the disciplinary committee of Korea National Sport University and stepped down from his professorship. Prior to the university's disciplinary action, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced in 2018, following an audit of the Korea Skating Union, that it had confirmed Jeon's misconduct during his two terms as the union's vice president. Based on the audit results from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and its own investigation, the Ministry of Education requested Korea National Sport University to impose severe disciplinary measures on Jeon.

Jeon filed an administrative lawsuit seeking to overturn the disciplinary action. The first trial ruled in his favor. The court found that some of the 11 reasons cited by the university's disciplinary committee for dismissal were either factually incorrect or not valid grounds for discipline, deeming the dismissal excessively harsh and unjust. The second trial upheld the same judgment, canceling the dismissal and ordering the university to revoke most of the disciplinary fines imposed on Jeon, leaving only 5.95 million won of the approximately 10 million won fine intact. The university has appealed, and the case is awaiting the Supreme Court's final decision.

In a separate damages lawsuit filed against the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK), Jeon lost in the first trial. On the 9th of last month, Judge Kim Kyung-tae of the Seoul Central District Court Civil Division 201 dismissed Jeon's claim that the NHRCK had defamed him. Jeon had sued for 50 million won in damages, alleging that the NHRCK defamed his reputation by dismissing a complaint filed in November 2020 by the parents of the late short track national team athlete No Jin-gyu, who claimed that Jeon had forced No, who was battling osteosarcoma, to participate in competitions.

At that time, the NHRCK, along with its dismissal decision, stated that "the injured victim continued excessive training and forced participation in competitions, and that Jeon and others had influence behind this," which Jeon argued defamed his reputation. However, Judge Kim ruled against Jeon, citing a Supreme Court precedent that "even if a government agency damages another's reputation by distributing press releases to the media, if there was reasonable belief in the truth of the statement at the time of publication, it is not unlawful."