Dongyang University Graduate "Money Deposited Without My Knowledge... Transferred to Jomin Under Jeong Gyeongshim's Instructions"

Jeong Gyeong-sim, a professor at Dongyang University and wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was arrested and indicted on charges including admission corruption involving their children and suspicions related to private equity funds, is entering the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 14th to attend the trial. Photo by Kang Jin-hyeong aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Mr. A, a former Dongyang University student who was listed as an assistant researcher when Professor Kyungshim Jeong of Dongyang University was conducting a government-funded project, testified in court that "I never worked in such a capacity."

He also stated that "the allowance registered and deposited under the assistant researcher was sent to Professor Jeong's daughter Jomin's account under her instructions."

Mr. A was registered as an assistant researcher along with Professor Jeong's daughter Jomin for the "English Gifted Education Program and Teaching Material Development Project," which was supported by the Gyeongbuk Office of Education in 2013.

However, it was revealed that neither Mr. A nor Jomin actually participated as assistant researchers in the project, and the prosecution believes that Professor Jeong falsely listed Jomin and her daughter as assistant researchers and claimed 3.2 million KRW in allowances, embezzling government subsidies.

◆ "Jomin did not work as an assistant researcher at Dongyang University" = At the continuation trial held on the 14th regarding Professor Jeong's charges of violating the Subsidy Management Act, presided over by the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25-2 (Chief Judge Jeongyeop Im), Mr. A, who appeared as a witness, testified, "Neither I nor Jomin worked as assistant researchers."

Mr. A said, "I was never asked by Professor Jeong to work as an assistant researcher for the English Gifted Education Program and Teaching Material Development Project, which ran from May to December 2013. The only work I did was a part-time job at the Dongyang University Language Education Center, where Professor Jeong was the director, from May 2014 until summer vacation."

When the prosecution asked, "Professor Jeong stated during the investigation that 'assistant researcher work was assigned to the witness, but the witness did not do it due to personal reasons.' Is that true?" Mr. A replied, "That is not true."

Mr. A also said, "I have never seen Jomin at Dongyang University, nor have I heard from staff or teaching assistants that she worked as an assistant researcher."

When asked by the prosecution, "Have you ever heard from Professor Jeong that Jomin conducted assistant researcher activities at her home in Seoul or at cafes?" Mr. A answered, "No."

This testimony directly contradicts Professor Jeong's previous claims. From the investigation stage, Professor Jeong insisted that "Jomin worked as an assistant researcher in Seoul and other places."

The prosecution believes that Professor Jeong listed Jomin as a research assistant to manage her credentials and fabricated research activity certificates to use for medical school admissions.

Jeong Gyeong-sim, wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was arrested and indicted on charges including admission corruption involving their children and suspicions of private equity funds, is entering the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 14th to attend the trial. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

◆ "Allowance transferred to Jomin's account at Professor Jeong's request" = Mr. A said he received 1.52 million KRW from Dongyang University's Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation in December 2013, after the English Gifted Education Program and Teaching Material Development Project concluded.

When asked by the prosecution why he received the money, Mr. A replied, "I don't know the details, but Professor Jeong told me, 'Money will be deposited, so don't spend it and keep it safe.'"

When the prosecution presented the expenditure statement from Dongyang University's Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, stating that 1.6 million KRW each was paid to Jomin and the witness as assistant researchers for the English Gifted Education Program, and asked, "Did you have no idea about this background when you received the money?" Mr. A answered, "No."

Mr. A added, "I never received any explanation from Professor Jeong about being listed as an assistant researcher or about the payment of wages." In other words, he received 1.52 million KRW from Professor Jeong without knowing the reason.

Mr. A said that in February of the following year, "I was instructed by Professor Jeong to transfer the money I received to Jomin's account."

Although he knew at the time that Jomin was Professor Jeong's daughter, Mr. A explained that since he did not know what the 1.52 million KRW was for, he kept it without suspicion and transferred it to Jomin's account.

Regarding this, Professor Jeong testified during last year's prosecution investigation that "Mr. A contacted me saying, 'I feel sorry for receiving money without working. Since Jomin did all the assistant work, she should receive all the money. I want to return the money.'"

When the prosecution asked Mr. A about the truthfulness of this statement, he replied, "That is not true."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ "Professor Jeong's statement is not true" = During the prosecution investigation, Professor Jeong stated, "After the English Gifted Program ended, in January and February 2014, I expected Mr. A to work as an assistant researcher and gave him money in December 2013," but also said, "Mr. A was insincere and did nothing."

When the prosecution conveyed this to Mr. A, he retorted, "I never missed a single assignment from the professor. If I was hired as an assistant researcher, why wouldn't I have worked? Especially since I was being paid."

It was confirmed that Mr. A graduated at the top of his class, having taken a total of 139 credits at Dongyang University, receiving an A in only one subject and A+ in all others.

The prosecution argued, "If the witness was an insincere student who only took the allowance without doing any assistant research work, he would not have been asked to do part-time work at the Language Education Center the following year."

However, Professor Jeong's defense attorney claimed, "Professor Jeong originally intended to appoint Mr. A as an assistant researcher, but Mr. A was busy at the time, and when the writing team for the teaching material guide was urgently changed, Professor Jeong asked Mr. A to return the money."

Mr. A said, "That is not true."

After the questioning, the presiding judge asked, "Have you ever received money in advance from the school or the defendant (Professor Jeong) before doing part-time work, research assistance, or labor?" Mr. A answered, "No. I received payment after the work was completed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.