Police confirm singer Tablo graduated from Stanford
By Park Si-soo
Police confirmed Friday that Tablo, the leader of Korean hip-hip band Epik High, graduated from Stanford University, announcing the outcome of an interim investigation into allegations that he forged his diploma.
Police said they have checked Tablo’s diploma and other related documents at the school, confirming that he earned both a bachelor and master’s degrees at the U.S. school.
The investigation opened in August after the 30-year-old singer whose Korean name is Lee Sun-woong filed a libel suit against 22 bloggers who claimed he falsely promoted himself as a graduate of Stanford University.
Seocho Police Station in southern Seoul said the confirmation was made after checking his graduation through multiple sources. It said he enrolled in Stanford in September in 1998 and earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature in March 2001. He won a master’s degree in the same subject from the university in June 2002, it added.
“We directly received his diploma from the school and compared it with one Tablo opened to the public at the height of the scandal,” an officer said. “The two were inspected by scientific investigation experts at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office and both were genuine.”
The officer said testimony from Stanford graduates also backed his presence at the school during the disputed period.
“He returned to Korea nine times during the period. The trips were made during his vacations,” the officer said, denying allegations among Tablo-bashing bloggers that he frequently moved in and out of the country.
Police plan to question bloggers who instigated the dispute, including “whatbecomes,” the nickname of a blogger who runs a website for those who doubt Tablo’s academic history.
Police said whatbecomes is a 57-year-old Korean-American, identified only as Kim, who now lives in the U.S. Police believe he created an ID using his friend’s social security number and other personal information.
As Kim has refused to come to Korea for questioning, police will seek coordination with Interpol.
“We’ve verified 20 out of the 22 bloggers accused,” an officer said. “We will question them soon and, if necessary, will send the case to the prosecution.”
In a statement issued following the police announcement, Tablo said the investigation has finally brought the truth to light. “It (the result) couldn’t have been any different because the graduation was true,” he said.
Many Internet and Twitter users have demanded online Tablo bashers make a public apology to the singer following the Oct. 1 MBC TV program that followed Tablo on a visit to Stanford to confirm that he graduated from the school.
경찰, “타블로 스탠퍼드대 졸업 맞다”
경찰이 학력위조논란에 휘말린 타블로의 졸업을 확인했다.
서울 서초경찰서는 8일 수사 중간결과발표에서 “타블로가 미국 스탠퍼드대를 졸업한 사실을 확인했다”고 밝혔다.
서초경찰서 관계자는 “타블로의 학력위조 의혹을 둘러싼 고소, 고발 사건을 수사해 온 결과 학력과 출입국 기록을 확인했고, 타블로와 함께 기숙사 생활을 한 미국인과 스탠퍼드대 한국동문회 관계자의 증언을 참고한 결과 했다. 타블로가 대학을 졸업한 것이 맞는다고 결론지었다”고 전했다.
경찰이 공개한 것에 따르면 타블로는 1998년 9월 스탠퍼드대에 들어가 2001년 3월 학사학위를 취득했다. 2001년 4월 석사과정에 입학해 2002년 6월 졸업했다. 국내에서 영어 강사를 한 시기와 학업도 겹치지 않는다.
경찰은 타블로 측이 고소한 네티즌의 신원을 파악해 출석요구를 하고 있다. ‘타블로에게 진실을 요구합니다’(이하 타진요)의 운영자인 왓비컴즈의 정체도 드러났다. 경찰에 따르면 한국계 미국시민권자 김모씨로 확인됐다. 경찰은 출석을 요구했지만 불응하고 있다. 경찰은 김씨에게 체포영장을 신청하고 인터폴에 수사협조를 의뢰할 계획이라고 밝혔다.