By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
Prosecutors questioned President Roh Moo-hyun’s former top policy planner Sunday and his alleged paramour who returned from the United States the same day.
Shin Jeong-ah, 35, a former university assistant professor who stunned the country with her faked diplomas and inappropriate relations with a top presidential secretary, returned to Seoul several hours after her ``sugar daddy’’ Byeon Yang-kyoon, 58, appeared before prosecutors.
The prosecution summoned Shin right after her arrival at Incheon International Airport. They questioned her on her role in the expanding scandal after quizzing Byeon on his alleged patronage of Shin.
Shin apologized to the people for causing trouble but denied that her Yale University diploma was a fake. She threatened to file a libel suit against the Munhwa Ilbo newspaper for publishing what she called ``fake’’ nude photographs of her.
Prosecutors are now investigating whether Byeon pressured former Dongguk University President Hong Ki-sam into hiring Shin as an assistant professor, and used his influence to get her appointed as a director for the 2008 Gwangju Biennale.
Byeon is also being questioned over alleged abuse of power in helping Shin obtain sponsors for the Sungkok Art Museum where she worked as a curator.
He is suspected of pressuring government agencies to buy artwork at high prices through Shin as he himself bought pieces with taxpayers’ money in 2005 when serving as the minister of planning and budget.
The prosecution suspects Byeon abused his power in getting 16.5 billion won in government subsidies allocated to the university around September 2005 in exchange for the school employing Shin.
In addition prosecutors believe that Byeon helped Shin flee to the U.S. in mid-July after her qualifications were revealed as fakes, saying investigators have already secured sufficient evidence on this.
Prosecutors are currently scanning Byeon’s computer at Cheong Wa Dae to find decisive evidence of his alleged patronage of Shin. As the computer may contain confidential national information, staff from the presidential office are overseeing the probe at a ``third location.’’