‘Byeon Illegally Supported Temples With State Funds’
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
A former presidential policy planner allegedly used government funds to support Buddhist temples, especially one run by a Dongguk University official, in exchange for the hiring of his alleged romantic partner by the school.
The prosecution plans to request an arrest warrant for Byeon Yang-kyoon, former minister of planning and budget and a former Cheong Wa Dae secretary, on charges of abusing power to allocate government subsidies to several Buddhist temples.
Byeon is supposedly a devoted Buddhist.
The prosecution confirmed through testimony that Byeon made the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs provide funds to Heungdeok Temple in Ulju county, Ulsan as a ``special subsidy.'' The head monk of the temple is the Ven. Yeongbae, chief of Dongguk University's board of directors.
Prosecutors also said Byeon acknowledged during questioning that he had made the instruction following the request from the monk.
In providing the money the ministry did not follow approved guidelines as the county had not requested any funding. However, under instructions from Byeon the ministry asked the county office if it could give a subsidy to the temple.
After the office told the ministry that the privately run temple was not eligible for state subsidies because it did not have any national cultural assets, the ministry told it to find other projects the county needed to promote. The office then applied for a subsidy to rebuild a bridge nearby the temple, and one billion won in state funds was quickly allocated.
Yeongbae allegedly protected Shin Jeong-ah, the former assistant professor of the school and Byeon's alleged paramour _ currently under investigation for alleged fabrication of diplomas and embezzlement _ when other professors questioned her academic credentials.
From allegations that Byeon patronized Shin for years, prosecutors suspect Byeon abused his power to financially support Yeongbae's temple in exchange for the monk's help in Shin's employment.
It is alleged that the monk offered bribes to Byeon via Shin in exchange for the subsidy.
Prosecutors also secured evidence showing Byeon peddled his influence in getting Shin hired at the school and for the 2008 Gwangju Biennale. Byeon said he still believes Shin's Yale Ph.D. is genuine, despite it being confirmed that the degree is bogus.
Prosecutors are also focusing on the fact that the government's financial support for Buddhist temples increased rapidly during the period that Byeon worked as minister of planning and budget and as presidential policy planner.
Bogwang Temple in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, of which Byeon is a member, is also under suspicion after receiving 780 million won in subsidies from the government and local authority since 2004.
The city government allocated 380 million won for the temple for this year's subsidy alone, an usually large amount.