Ex-Ewha president grilled over favors for Choi's daughter
By Lee Kyung-min
Choi Kyung-hee, Ewha Womans University President
The independent counsel team summoned former Ewha Womans University President Choi Kyung-hee, Wednesday, over her alleged role in granting special treatment to Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, the scandal-ridden confidant of President Park Geun-hye. The former university president faces charges of obstruction of business and perjury.
She resigned last October following a massive protest from Ewha students over her alleged involvement in the scandal. She has been questioned over the university’s admissions and grading irregularities concerning Chung.
Three other key faculty members were also arrested including former dean of the college of science and industry convergence Kim Kyung-sook, former admissions chief officer Namkung Gon and digital media studies professor Lyou Chul-gyun.
The team questioned Choi over whether she was aware of or ordered the favors for Chung. The team also questioned whether Cheong Wa Dae or Choi Soon-sil were involved and if so, whether the university or its president received anything in return. After questioning her, the team will determine whether to investigate higher-profile figures.
Earlier, the education ministry audit uncovered that Namkung, ahead of the admissions interview for Chung, told admissions officers to select the candidate who brought in a gold medal to the admissions interview.
Chung, a dressage competitor, won a gold medal in a team event at the Incheon Asian Games in 2014 about a month before the interview.
Under the admissions regulations, interviewees are not allowed to bring any personal belongings or wear anything that might help officers recognize or infer who they are, including Olympic uniforms, as it could undermine fairness.
However, Chung showed her medal to the interviewers and was selected, leading to two other candidates who had higher scores than Chung in the written application material review being rejected.
Another allegation was that Ewha altered admissions regulations to recognize her gold medal, which was won after the application deadline and therefore should have been disregarded.
The team questioned Choi about possible backroom deals over Ewha winning the most state support after granting admission to Chung.
According to data submitted last year by the education ministry to Rep. Do Jong-hwan of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), out of the 163 private universities nationwide, only 16 of them, or 9.8 percent, managed to win five or more state subsidies. Of them, Ewha won the most, securing eight.
The team already secured a statement from former Vice Culture Minister Kim Chong, who said he asked Kim Kyung-sook for the special treatment for Chung by mentioning Choi Soon-sil’s plan to help Ewha. The team believes this must have reached the university president.
The counsel team already indicted Lyou Chul-gyun, the professor known by his pseudonym Lee In-hwa, for helping Chung pass his course even though she did not attend lectures.
Lyou did so by having one of his assistants take the final exam instead of Chung, and having another assistant attend online classes on her behalf to give Chung bonus credit. Lyou said Kim ordered him to do so.
The team will determine later whether to seek an arrest warrant for the former university president.