By Kang Shin-who
Staff reporter
The prosecution is investigating allegations that the chairman of a foreign language high school in Seoul received bribes for admitting or transferring five students.
The chairman, only identified as Lee, is suspected of having received 10 million won ($8,500) per student from their parents in exchange for admitting or transferring the students, officials from a northern Seoul district prosecution office said.
The prosecution is also seeking a warrant to arrest him on suspicion of embezzling a total of 1.5 billion won over the years.
Lee allegedly received 50 million won in total from the parents of the five students in the name of funds that will be used for the development of the school.
The principal of the school has also been called in for questioning as the prosecution suspects the principal must have been pressured by the chairman for the admission of the students. The school principal holds the authority to admit students.
Both the chairman and principal are denying the allegations, claiming that they have never admitted students illegally. The chairman is also denying embezzlement allegations, according to the prosecution.