Police Uphold Decision Not to Refer Dongduk Academy Chairman in "Private School Corruption" Case

The police, which reinvestigated the embezzlement and breach of trust allegations involving Chairman Cho Wonyoung and his family of Dongduk Academy, the school foundation of Dongduk Women's University, have concluded that there is "no suspicion of a crime."

The Dongduk Women's University Student Union is shouting slogans at a rally denouncing the Dongduk Women's University Foundation held last February at Bukinsa Madang in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Yonhap News

On the 23rd, the Jongam Police Station in Seoul announced that it had forwarded the results of the reinvestigation to the prosecution in mid-January, maintaining its prior decision not to refer six executives and employees, including Chairman Cho, his son Cho Jinwan, head of the General Affairs Office, and his daughter Cho Jinhui, a board member.

Previously, in November last year, the police had referred only Dongduk Women's University President Kim Myeongae to the prosecution on charges of occupational embezzlement, while deciding not to refer Chairman Cho and his family. However, the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office had requested a full reinvestigation and supplementary investigation into them.

Following the reinvestigation, the police concluded that there was no additional evidence sufficient to overturn the previous determination and therefore maintained their conclusion. A police official said, "We notified (the prosecution) with no major changes from the previous investigation findings."

Chairman Cho and his family have been suspected of privately misappropriating school funds by purchasing a house in Pyeongchang-dong, where the family had previously lived, with school foundation money and by paying excessive allowances to their children.

Meanwhile, the Women's Party, which reported this case, plans to hold a press conference in front of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office on the 26th to denounce what it calls the police's poor investigation and to urge the prosecution to conduct a strict investigation.