Park may face summons

By Lee Kyung-min

Park Yong-sung

Prosecutors are likely to issue a summons soon for former Chung-Ang University foundation Chairman Park Yong-sung regarding allegations that he sought favors from education officials to integrate two campuses of the university in 2012.

The officials include former Chief Presidential Secretary for Education Park Bum-hoon, who previously worked as the university’s president.

Fresh allegations emerged Thursday that Doosan provided bribes worth hundreds of millions of won to Park in return for his help in pushing the integration of the campuses. Park is also likely to be summoned as early as next week.

Park resigned from all his public posts this week after an email containing abusive language he sent to Chung-Ang professors was made public. He also stepped down as Doosan Heavy chairman and chairman of the university’s foundation.

The prosecution is digging deeper into the ties between Doosan and Chung-Ang. The university was purchased by Doosan in 2007.

The prosecution is also looking into allegations that Park met with former President Lee Myung-bak to seek his influence to expedite the merger of the campuses.

He resigned Tuesday due to public uproar against the contents of his e-mail correspondents with abusive language against Chung-Ang university professors.

The professors had long opposed the “business-oriented” restructuring of the university curriculum and performance-based salary reform.

Asserting his business objectives, the former chairman wrote in his e-mails, "axe those begging to be axed."

He also wrote, "I will do everything the way I want to because I am in charge of the university. It's not polite to not axe the professors when they have stretched their necks so long as to be axed."

A group of university professors held a press conference Thursday strongly denouncing the constant abuse by the former chairman and demanded he be punished accordingly.

“Park abusing the professors is comparable to the whole ‘nut rage’ incident regarding the former Korean Air Vice Chairwoman Heather Cho. We are mulling whether to file a complaint with the prosecution,” the professors said in a statement.

The prosecution said the probe will focus on the 2012 merger deal.

Already, the prosecution secured necessary testimonies from key former and incumbent ministry officials suspected of helping the merger at the former secretary’s directive.

Accounting managing director and general managing director at Chung-Ang University were called in for questioning since Monday.

Evidence was secured during raids on the university and at the home of the former secretary, the prosecution added.

The prosecution also plans to question the former chairman to detect any irregularities in the university’s acquisition of the Red Cross College of Nursing (RCCN) in 2012.