Prosecutors' Office Conducts Search of Former Busan Superintendent Kim Seok-jun Over 'Special Recruitment of Dismissed Teachers from Jeon-gyo-jo'

The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (PCC) has launched a compulsory investigation into former Busan Superintendent of Education Kim Seok-jun regarding allegations of preferential hiring of dismissed teachers from the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU).

Former Busan Superintendent of Education Kim Seok-jun [Photo by Asia Economy DB]

According to the legal community on the 21st, the PCC's Investigation Division 1 (led by Chief Prosecutor Kim Myung-seok) executed search warrants at the former superintendent's residence and the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education by dispatching investigators. Earlier on the 4th, the Board of Audit and Inspection reported Kim to the PCC, accusing him of improper interference in hiring dismissed teachers from the KTU, citing violations of the National Public Service Act and abuse of authority.

In 2018, Kim Seok-jun specially hired four teachers who had been dismissed for violating the National Security Act as secondary school teachers. These four individuals were active as teachers in the Busan area in 2005 and were prosecuted for allegedly providing education that glorified North Korea and Kim Il-sung, resulting in their dismissal. Their convictions were upheld by the Supreme Court in 2013.

While still in office in September 2018, Kim instructed Busan Office of Education staff to consider special hiring for these four individuals and subsequently changed the hiring criteria to "persons dismissed related to educational activities," thereby forcing their employment, according to investigations.

It is known that only these four applied for the special recruitment at the time and were all hired as secondary school teachers.