Seoul's education chief ousted for election law violation

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- Seoul's education chief was stripped of his post
Thursday after the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that fined him 1.5
million won (US$1,200) for violation of the election law.

Kong Jeong-taek, superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education,
was convicted of falsifying his financial statements, omitting some 400 million
won (US$334,000) when reporting his personal wealth. He has also been questioned
about a 190 million won interest-free loan from one of his former students.
The top court reaffirmed the lower courts' ruling, saying Kong should have
correctly reported his property to the authorities as required by the law.
It, however, found him not guilty of borrowing money from his former student,
admitting there was confusion in interpretation of the law by the election
watchdog.
Under the current election law, a fine of over one million won or a prison term,
if confirmed by the Supreme Court, results in immediate expulsion from public
office.
The 72-year old won the first-ever direct election for the capital's top
education post last year. He ran with the backing of the ruling party, vowing to
push through competition-driven reforms advocated by President Lee Myung-bak.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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