Incheon's top educator grilled over bribery allegations
By Kim Bo-eun
Lee Cheong-yeon
The Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office questioned the chief of the city’s education office, Wednesday, over his alleged involvement in a bribery scandal.
Lee Cheong-yeon, superintendent of the Incheon Metropolitan City Office of Education, was initially summoned as a witness after two of his aides had been arrested earlier over the allegations. But during questioning, prosecutors changed his status into “suspect,” indicating that they had secured evidence to support the suspicions.
“I will sincerely respond to the questioning,” Lee, 61, told reporters upon entering the prosecution’s building. However, to the question of whether he knew about the aides having received kickbacks, he said, “I did not know. The allegations are groundless.”
Lee, with two of his aides surnamed Park and Lee, is suspected of having received 300 million won from a construction firm executive in return for handing over the rights for a construction project last year.
In the project, two schools were planning to build new buildings as they were to move to other locations in the city. However, it is unclear how the education office had the authority to select the construction firm for the project, which would usually be decided by the schools’ foundations. The education office is usually in charge of giving final approval to school matters.
Prosecutors are focusing on clarifying whether the officials had reported receiving the money to Lee. If they did, Lee will be an accomplice in the bribery acceptance. The prosecution earlier arrested and indicted the two aides on charges of bribery.
It is alleged that Lee used the money to pay off debts incurred in 2014 when he ran in the election for his position.
If the allegations are found to be true, Lee will face additional charges of violating the laws on public official elections and political funds.
Prosecutors also questioned the head of Lee’s camp during the election, Tuesday, and Lee’s daughter who was in charge of campaign finances.
Earlier on Aug. 18, the prosecution raided the offices of Lee and his chief secretary, as well as Lee’s home, and confiscated mobile phones, computers and paper documents.
Lee was a former Incheon branch head of the progressive Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union.
The prosecution’s questioning of Lee is dealing a blow to the reputation of the Incheon education office, as this is not the first case in which an education chief there has been indicted on bribery charges.
Lee’s predecessor, Na Geun-hyung, served an 18-month prison term after being found guilty of receiving kickbacks. Na was convicted of receiving 16 million won from five education officials for overseas trips in return for fabricating their evaluations to have them promoted during his 2011-13 term.