Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon, who was handed over to trial on charges of unfairly hiring a dismissed teacher, was sentenced by the prosecution.
The prosecution asked the court to "sentence Superintendent Cho to two years in prison" at the trial held at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Agreement 25-2 Division (Dr. Park Jeong-je and Chief Judge Park Jeong-gil) hearing.
She sought a prison sentence of 1 year and 6 months for former secretary general Han Mo, who was in charge of practical work.
Prosecutors pointed out, "The defendants claim that there is no problem because they went through the collusion process, but this is 'blindfolded aung'" and "it cannot be said that the five recruiters and other applicants went through fair competition."
Superintendent Cho was charged with unfairly hiring five dismissed teachers from the National Teachers and Education Workers’ Union (KTU) from October to December 2018 (abuse of authority, obstruction of exercising rights, violation of the National Public Officials Act). Indicted.
One of those hired is a person who ran as a preliminary candidate for the Superintendent of Education in June 2018 and was unified with Superintendent Cho.
Prosecutors believe that Superintendent Cho made special appointments under the guise of an open competition procedure after appointing specific people.
Superintendent Cho has denied allegations of internal affairs, saying, "I believe that the working-level officials have followed the open competitive selection process well."
Even in court, Superintendent Cho said, "I saw the reinstatement of dismissed teachers as part of active administration for social harmony and integration, and from that point of view, I ordered a special recruitment review."
Superintendent Cho's lawyer pointed out, "The essential element of special recruitment is to limit competition."
The sentencing hearing has been set for January 27 next year.
(Photo = Provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Yonhap News)