Seoul's top educator accused of violating election law
By Jung Min-ho
Cho Hee-yeon
Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon will soon face questioning over allegations that he violated the election law during his June campaign.
Prosecutors at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Friday that they have told Cho to present himself for questioning over allegedly spreading a false rumor about a rival candidate.
The move came after conservative civic groups, led by the Global Youth Friends, filed a complaint on Nov. 10.
“We told the educational office about the summons, and we are deciding when Cho can come,” a prosecutor said.
But an SMOE official said the office had asked the prosecution to let Cho respond in writing.
Cho is accused of spreading false information that rival candidate Koh Seung-duk held a U.S. green card and thus could not hold the top educator post.
“Cho seriously damaged Koh’s reputation by lying about his nationality,” the groups said. “Besides, disregarding the National Election Commission’s warning, he continued to promote himself as the only liberal candidate, which was not true.”
They also claimed that Cho started his election campaign before the official period, from May 22 to June 3.
Prosecutors said they would decide whether to indict him after investigating whether Cho spread the rumor to defame Koh while knowing he did not hold a green card.
If Cho is indicted, he could be fined more than 1 million won, his election would be nullified and Seoul citizens would have to have a by-election for the post.
Although he was not so well known, Cho beat Koh and another conservative candidate Moon Yong-rin.
Koh led opinion polls from the beginning, thanks to appearances on many TV shows. But with just three days remaining, Koh’s estranged daughter dropped a bombshell with a Facebook plea to Seoul citizens, saying Koh was unfit for the post because he neglected his children from his first marriage.