Jiyong Kim, Chairman of Kookmin University, Yungeum Jang, former President of Sookmyung University, etc.
Opposition party votes alone amid opposition from ruling party
On the 5th, the National Assembly Education Committee filed a complaint against Kookmin University Chairman Kim Ji-yong and others, who did not appear at the government audit, in connection with the ‘suspicion of ghostwriting Ms. Kim Kun-hee’s thesis’ and the opposition party alone.
At the general meeting of the Education Committee held at the National Assembly on this day, it was decided to file a complaint against six people, including Chairman Kim, former Sookmyung Women’s University President Jang Yun-geum, and Hankyung National University Professor Seol Min-shin, in accordance with the Act on Testimony and Appraisal in the National Assembly.
Previously, the Education Committee adopted Chairman Kim and former President Jang as witnesses for the government audit, but they did not attend the comprehensive audit held on the 24th of last month.
In addition, Professor Kim Hyeong-sook of Hanyang University, Kim Soo-gi, CEO of the Korea Educational Evaluation Institute, and Oh Seung-geol, Director of the Korea Educational Evaluation Institute, were subject to accusations for reasons such as perjury and refusal to submit documents. However, the complaint against National Education Committee Chairman Lee Bae-yong and Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education Superintendent Lim Tae-hee was put on hold at the ruling party’s request.
Kim Young-ho, chairman of the Education Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, “If the ruling party members have anything in mind to file complaints or accusations, please speak up at any time,” adding, “The purpose is to properly establish the authority of the National Assembly.”
Rep. Cho Jung-hoon of the People Power Party, the ruling party’s secretary, said, “Only when the ruling and opposition parties agree to file a complaint and the Board of Audit and Inspection audits will there be a justification for the process of passing (bills, etc.) to the plenary session through an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties. It’s not like the person being investigated runs away in a day or two, but today. “I don’t know if there is any reason to pass this decision so hastily,” he said.
At the plenary meeting on this day, the opposition party requested an audit from the Ministry of Education regarding suspicions of Chairman Kim’s improper use of corporate funds and Gangwon Provincial Office of Education Superintendent Shin Gyeong-ho’s special personnel treatment and corruption in the electronic blackboard installation project. In addition, the Board of Audit and Inspection requested an audit of the participation of Kim Geon-ho, a youth assistant at the Ministry of Education, in writing a history textbook certified by the Korea Educational Assessment Service, and an audit of Chairman Lee’s alleged use of public institution goods and vehicles for private purposes.
The ruling party left in protest when their request to postpone the decision was not accepted during the voting process. During the exit process, shouts were exchanged between the ruling and opposition parties.
Meanwhile, the Local Education Financial Grant Act, which extends the special provision for supporting free high school education expenses with government funds for three years, was not passed on this day. At the request of People Power Party lawmakers, an agenda coordination committee must be formed to undergo further discussions.
(Seoul = News 1)
Source: www.donga.com
