ID :
204295
Tue, 08/30/2011 - 02:21
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https://oananews.org//node/204295
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Buying off candidate
(EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Aug. 30)
Seoul???s education chief should resign immediately
The Seoul education superintendent must resign immediately. He should face a criminal investigation since he acknowledged the payment of 200 million to a former rival candidate during the election in June last year.
Kwak No-hyun, superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, acknowledged the payment. He denies he is a nobler. He said he delivered the money to Park Myoung-gee, a leading candidate who withdrew his candidacy two weeks before the election, out of goodwill for his financial plight. He claims he had to help Park as he incurred heavy debts during his two election bids. He said he heard Park attempted to commit suicide for his predicament.
The liberal educational leader made the sophistic points two days after the prosecutor arrested Park, a professor at the Seoul National University of Education, for violating the election law.
Kwak won the election on the unified liberal ticket against six conservative candidates.
Despite his denial, it is clear that he gave the money to Park as a reward for bowing out of the candidacy at the last minute. He used delicate methods to avoid a dragnet of law enforcement authorities. He passed the money through his close friend nearly one year after the election in installments.
Buying off a candidate is a serious crime. He faces a prison term of no less than seven years or a fine of 5 million to 30 million won.
Kwak's defense is quite ludicrous. He argues that society will become cold and heartless when the blind pursuit of legality without compassion prevails. He should not defend himself by putting sympathy above legality in justifying his illegal act. He must clarify how he raised the money.
The prosecution initiated the investigation days after the ruling conservative party lost a free-meal referendum in Seoul. Kwak is a strong advocate of a free meal policy for all students. The prosecutor put off the investigation until after the referendum although it received the report from the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission on Aug.7. It says a further delay was not possible because the statute of limitations on the crime was about to expire.
His scapegoat theory is nonsensical. He should not be free from legal and political responsibility. He should not politicize his position to portray himself as a victim.
He should also explain whether his appointment of Park as an advisor to the education board is compensation for his last-minute withdrawal.
The opposition parties will lose more than they gain when they try to defend Kwak blindly. He should not try to prolong his position through lengthy legal battles. His behavior and remarks have a grave influence on students.
It is hypocritical of him to trumpet uprooting corruptions and irregularities in the educational field while bribing his rival out of the race. A leader unable to draw a clear boundary between legality and compassion is unfit to represent any organization.
Seoul???s education chief should resign immediately
The Seoul education superintendent must resign immediately. He should face a criminal investigation since he acknowledged the payment of 200 million to a former rival candidate during the election in June last year.
Kwak No-hyun, superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, acknowledged the payment. He denies he is a nobler. He said he delivered the money to Park Myoung-gee, a leading candidate who withdrew his candidacy two weeks before the election, out of goodwill for his financial plight. He claims he had to help Park as he incurred heavy debts during his two election bids. He said he heard Park attempted to commit suicide for his predicament.
The liberal educational leader made the sophistic points two days after the prosecutor arrested Park, a professor at the Seoul National University of Education, for violating the election law.
Kwak won the election on the unified liberal ticket against six conservative candidates.
Despite his denial, it is clear that he gave the money to Park as a reward for bowing out of the candidacy at the last minute. He used delicate methods to avoid a dragnet of law enforcement authorities. He passed the money through his close friend nearly one year after the election in installments.
Buying off a candidate is a serious crime. He faces a prison term of no less than seven years or a fine of 5 million to 30 million won.
Kwak's defense is quite ludicrous. He argues that society will become cold and heartless when the blind pursuit of legality without compassion prevails. He should not defend himself by putting sympathy above legality in justifying his illegal act. He must clarify how he raised the money.
The prosecution initiated the investigation days after the ruling conservative party lost a free-meal referendum in Seoul. Kwak is a strong advocate of a free meal policy for all students. The prosecutor put off the investigation until after the referendum although it received the report from the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission on Aug.7. It says a further delay was not possible because the statute of limitations on the crime was about to expire.
His scapegoat theory is nonsensical. He should not be free from legal and political responsibility. He should not politicize his position to portray himself as a victim.
He should also explain whether his appointment of Park as an advisor to the education board is compensation for his last-minute withdrawal.
The opposition parties will lose more than they gain when they try to defend Kwak blindly. He should not try to prolong his position through lengthy legal battles. His behavior and remarks have a grave influence on students.
It is hypocritical of him to trumpet uprooting corruptions and irregularities in the educational field while bribing his rival out of the race. A leader unable to draw a clear boundary between legality and compassion is unfit to represent any organization.
