Bail rejected for top Seoul educator
By Yun Suh-young
A Seoul court denied bail for top Seoul educator Kwak No-hyun now on trial for alleged bribery.
The Seoul Central District Court said Wednesday that it rejected the application for bail from Kwak as “there was a likelihood that Kwak could destroy evidence.”
Kwak, superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, will stay suspended from work until a court delivers its first verdict around the end of the year.
Kwak has been accused of bribing Park Myoung-gee, a professor at Seoul National University of Education, in exchange for his quitting as an election rival for the superintendent post last year.
Kwak applied for bail on Sept. 30, claiming that he had the right to prepare for his defense without physical detention.
The court concluded that there was sufficient evidence to believe that Kwak could flee or tamper with evidence.
It also turned down bail for Professor Park for the same reasons. Park had applied for bail on Oct. 7.
Court officials said that the first court hearing will take place on Oct. 17.
“At the first hearing, the prosecution and Kwak’s lawyer will submit material evidence. We believe the verdict will be made within the year,” a court official said.
Kwak and Park were arrested last month on charges of making an illegal deal during the run-up to the election. Kwak allegedly gave Park 200 million won for him to back out of the race for superintendent. Kwak has said that he gave the professor the money out of goodwill and expected nothing from him in return.
Kwak’s lawyer Kim Chil-jun told reporters, “We accept the court’s decision though it’s regrettable that our request to allow Kwak to stand trial without physical detention was denied.”
Prior to Kwak’s bail decision, officials from the Seoul education office gave no specific reaction, saying they have no choice but to wait for the result of the trial.
When asked how he felt ahead of the decision on Kwak’s bail to be made, Vice Superintendent Lim Seung-bin said during lunch with reporters: “What is there to say? I’m in a serene state of mind.”