ID :
204090
Mon, 08/29/2011 - 07:41
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/204090
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Embroiled Seoul education chief under growing pressure to resign
Embroiled Seoul education chief under growing pressure to resign
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Seoul education chief Kwak No-hyun faced growing pressure Monday from both the ruling and opposition parties to resign after he admitted to giving money to his former rival who dropped out of last year's election.
Kwak, who was elected the superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in last June, is suspected of giving 200 million won (US$184,000) earlier this year to Park Myoung-gee, a professor at Seoul National University of Education, in return for his withdrawal from the race, according to prosecutors.
In a news conference on Sunday, Kwak said he gave Park the money with "good will" as the depressed professor was suffering from heavy debts after the election, denying allegations that it was a reward for Park's agreement to quit the race.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said it has requested an arrest warrant for Park and will summon Kwak this week for questioning.
Kwak's confession came as a shock as he was elected for his clean image after his scandal-ridden predecessor, Kong Jeong-taek, was removed from office in 2008 for a bribery conviction.
The illegal electioneering allegations broke out shortly after conservative Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon resigned on Friday, days after his attempt to block an opposition-led free lunch program fell through in a referendum.
The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) mounted pressure on Kwak to leave office.
"Kwak should step down now only with the fact that he is connected with the corruption probe," GNP chairperson Hong Joon-pyo said. "He is not a politician, but an education chief. A person in charge of education is again embroiled in corruption."
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) initially accused prosecutors of launching a politically-charged probe on the superintendent, who often stood up against the Lee Myung-bak administration's education policies.
But the party reversed its earlier position and is now calling for Kwak to take responsibility.
"Kwak's case is very shocking and disappointing," DP leader Sohn Hak-kyu said in a party meeting. "Kwak should think deeply about whether people can accept this situation and take responsibility for this."
As the October by-election took on a new significance with Oh's resignation ahead of the parliamentary elections in April and presidential race in December next year, attentions were turned on whether Kwak would quit his position as he became the subject of the prosecution's corruption probe.
Surrounded by a pack of reporters on his way to work earlier in the day, Kwak remained silent about whether he will resign over the corruption allegations.
"He will participate in all events and continue his business as usual," his aide said, refuting reports that Kwak is considering his resignation.
If Kwak follows Oh and resigns within the next month, Seoul residents will have to pick two replacements -- mayor and superintendent -- in the upcoming by-elections, which could test the popularity of the political parties and their welfare policies.
The conservative mayor and liberal superintendent clashed over the city budget on the free lunch program for all elementary students, with Oh calling the program a "welfare populist" policy.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Seoul education chief Kwak No-hyun faced growing pressure Monday from both the ruling and opposition parties to resign after he admitted to giving money to his former rival who dropped out of last year's election.
Kwak, who was elected the superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in last June, is suspected of giving 200 million won (US$184,000) earlier this year to Park Myoung-gee, a professor at Seoul National University of Education, in return for his withdrawal from the race, according to prosecutors.
In a news conference on Sunday, Kwak said he gave Park the money with "good will" as the depressed professor was suffering from heavy debts after the election, denying allegations that it was a reward for Park's agreement to quit the race.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said it has requested an arrest warrant for Park and will summon Kwak this week for questioning.
Kwak's confession came as a shock as he was elected for his clean image after his scandal-ridden predecessor, Kong Jeong-taek, was removed from office in 2008 for a bribery conviction.
The illegal electioneering allegations broke out shortly after conservative Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon resigned on Friday, days after his attempt to block an opposition-led free lunch program fell through in a referendum.
The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) mounted pressure on Kwak to leave office.
"Kwak should step down now only with the fact that he is connected with the corruption probe," GNP chairperson Hong Joon-pyo said. "He is not a politician, but an education chief. A person in charge of education is again embroiled in corruption."
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) initially accused prosecutors of launching a politically-charged probe on the superintendent, who often stood up against the Lee Myung-bak administration's education policies.
But the party reversed its earlier position and is now calling for Kwak to take responsibility.
"Kwak's case is very shocking and disappointing," DP leader Sohn Hak-kyu said in a party meeting. "Kwak should think deeply about whether people can accept this situation and take responsibility for this."
As the October by-election took on a new significance with Oh's resignation ahead of the parliamentary elections in April and presidential race in December next year, attentions were turned on whether Kwak would quit his position as he became the subject of the prosecution's corruption probe.
Surrounded by a pack of reporters on his way to work earlier in the day, Kwak remained silent about whether he will resign over the corruption allegations.
"He will participate in all events and continue his business as usual," his aide said, refuting reports that Kwak is considering his resignation.
If Kwak follows Oh and resigns within the next month, Seoul residents will have to pick two replacements -- mayor and superintendent -- in the upcoming by-elections, which could test the popularity of the political parties and their welfare policies.
The conservative mayor and liberal superintendent clashed over the city budget on the free lunch program for all elementary students, with Oh calling the program a "welfare populist" policy.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
