 Top Seoul educator Kwak No-hyun is surrounded by supporters and opponents as he enters the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in southern Seoul, Monday. Prosecutors questioned Kwak over his involvement in a bribery scandal. / Yonhap |
Top Seoul educator questioned over bribery
By Na Jeong-ju
Seoul’s top educator Kwak No-hyun reiterated Monday that a payment to a rival candidate was not in return for his withdrawal from last year’s election, but a token of “goodwill.” Kwak says he has put himself on the line to reveal the truth about the ongoing bribery scandal.
The remarks indicate that the former law professor may wage a legal battle against the prosecution as well as the liberal candidate, professor Park Myoung-gee of Seoul National University of Education, who alleged that he dropped his bid after Kwak promised to pay him to do so.
“It’s regrettable that my goodwill is being misunderstood,” Kwak told reporters as he left his office Monday morning to face questioning at the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office. “I’ll stake my reputation on revealing the truth. I apologize to all people who are concerned about me.”
Arriving at the prosecutors’ office at 11 a.m., Kwak, flanked by his lawyer, posed for cameras but refused to respond to questions from reporters.
The 57-year-old liberal educator was grilled over suspicions of bribery.
Kwak earlier admitted giving 200 million won ($185,000) to Park this year, but insisted that it was not related to the election and was aimed at helping Park who had been suffering from heavy debts he incurred in his own campaign. Kwak was elected to the top educator’s post as a unified liberal candidate.
The prosecution allege that Kwak initially promised to pay a total of 700 million won in return for Park’s withdrawal from the race. It says it has secured enough evidence to show his bribery.
After the questioning, prosecutors will determine whether to seek a court warrant to take Kwak into custody for further investigation.
If convicted of bribing the rival candidate, a violation of the Election Law and punishable with a fine of over 1 million won, the Seoul education chief will be stripped of his post.
Earlier, the prosecution quizzed Kwak’s aides who helped with his election campaign last year as well as his wife and her sister who allegedly helped deliver the money to Park.
Conservative and liberal groups held rallies of their own in front of the prosecutors’ office as Kwak arrived.
Conservatives called for harsh punishment and Kwak’s immediate resignation, while liberal groups criticized “political” prosecutors for conducting what they called an unfair probe against liberals.
Kwak’s lawyers claim that the prosecution has revealed the progress of its investigation to certain conservative dailies to affect public sentiment toward the liberal educator.
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