Top Educator in Prayer Service While on Duty
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
A top Seoul educator took part in a prayer service at a Christian church during work hours.
According to ``Bulkyo21'' (www.bulkyo21.com), a specialized Buddhist news Web site, Kong Jeong-taek, superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, and his wife were present at a prayer service at around 11 a.m. on Aug. 12. It was Tuesday and the event was organized to pray for the development of Korean education.
Kong, who obtained the top post in the first city-wide election on July 31, has been regarded as a close aide to President Lee Myung-bak, who has been under fire for implementing what Buddhists call ``Christianity-favored'' policies.
The Web site reported ``apart from Kong, several former and incumbent high-ranking officials including five or six school principals also participated in the service.''
Following the report, Kong issued a statement, saying, ``I participated in the meeting as its purpose was for the development of Korean education. I did not intend to side with a specific religion.''
``I attended a prayer meeting held at a Buddhist temple on Buddha's birthday last year and paid a courtesy call on the chief executive of the country's largest Buddhist order, Jogye, in June,'' he added.
Notification of the service was distributed via the education office's ``intronet system'' which is supposed to be used for official purposes among schools only.
The education office said it will take steps to ensure the system is not used for non-work related purposes in the future.