By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
The prosecution plans to summon the wife of Yonsei University's former President Jung Chang-young next week for her alleged acceptance a bribe to help get a young woman get admitted to the prestigious school as a transfer student.
She had imposed on her an overseas travel ban.
The prosecution has launched an investigation into the scandal, preventing Jung's wife, Choi Yun-hee, from leaving the country late Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Jung resigned his post to take responsibility for the allegation. The overseas travel ban was not levied on Jung.
In November last year, Choi allegedly received 200 million won from a 50-year-old woman, Kim, who asked Choi to help her daughter get into Yonsei's dentistry college as a transfer student. Kim claimed in an interview with a local daily that she gave Choi the money at the home of her neighbor, who introduced Choi to Kim.
Choi allegedly returned the money to the mother in January after the girl failed the exam. Jung claimed his wife borrowed 200 million won to support his son's business but returned it after learning it was related to the transfer request.
But an allegation emerged that some people close to Choi collected 200 million won to help Choi return the money to Kim when the girl failed to get admission.Prosecutors plan to summon Kim and the neighbor, who arranged the bribery meeting, and question Choi. But Kim has been reportedly out of contact.
If the allegation is confirmed, Choi will face criminal charges. Prosecutors plan to summon Jung if needed.
They are also considering launching a full-scale investigation into whether other high-ranking officials of the school were involved in special admission processes.
It is rumored that around two out of six students admitted through transfers each year are children of professors at Yonsei, including those from dentistry school.
However, a professor in charge of the school's admission process said that transfer applicants undergo proper screening including a resume review and a written exam, and that it is impossible for the children of school officials or professors to get special privileges.