Cho Hee-yeon Special Recruitment Allegations, PACC's First Case Dishonor... "Will Actively Clarify"

Prosecutors' Office Registers Allegations of Special Recruitment for Cho Hee-yeon in '2021 Gongje No. 1' Case
Superintendent Cho States, "Will Actively Prove No Wrongdoing Due to Institutional Characteristics"
Firmly Denies Unfair Special Recruitment Orders and Asserts Innocence

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, has become the first investigation target of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) following the Board of Audit and Inspection's report accusing him of unfairly hiring dismissed teachers.

On the 10th, the CIO announced that it registered the special hiring suspicion of dismissed teachers by Superintendent Cho as the "2021 Gongje 1st" case. The charge is abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights.

On the same day, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education held an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures after Superintendent Cho's special hiring became the CIO's first case.

Superintendent Cho stated, "I believe the CIO will make a balanced judgment, and I will actively clarify the institutional characteristics of the special hiring and the absence of charges."

According to the audit results announced by the Board of Audit and Inspection last month, Superintendent Cho specifically identified five dismissed teachers in July-August 2018 and instructed the related departments to review and promote their special hiring. The Board of Audit and Inspection reported Superintendent Cho to the police and provided reference materials for investigation to the CIO. Subsequently, the CIO requested the police to transfer the case, making it the first investigation target.

Superintendent Cho has maintained that the special hiring was conducted through lawful procedures. At a press briefing last month, he said, "It is regrettable that the Board of Audit and Inspection made this decision without giving an opportunity to clarify, and I will promptly apply for a re-examination to prove my innocence."

Superintendent Cho denied the Board of Audit and Inspection's report that he instructed the hiring of five specific individuals during the 2018 special hiring process. He explained, "There were requests from the Seoul Metropolitan Council and teacher organizations to specially hire dismissed teachers related to educational polarization and political basic rights. The Deputy Superintendent and department heads, feeling burdened by previous special hiring issues, proceeded with the special hiring without obtaining consent or approval." The hired individuals were teachers who reported private school corruption, were involved in democratization movements, or advocated for the abolition of privileged schools.

Superintendent Cho also criticized the Board of Audit and Inspection for conducting an unreasonable investigation with a predetermined conclusion. He explained, "The special hiring processing guidelines were handwritten after legal consultation with only the phrase ‘special hiring will be promoted for retired teachers recognized for their contribution to realizing public value,’ without specifying five individuals. The Board of Audit and Inspection coerced the screening committee members into forced interrogations to write confirmation statements, and later three committee members corrected their statements after realizing this."

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