QUESTIONING OF CHO HEE-YEON

[Anchor Lead]

The new agency investigating corruption by public officials has summoned the superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education for allegedly illegally hiring dismissed teachers. Cho Hee-yeon was questioned for more than ten hours.

[Pkg]

​Cho Hee-yeon has been grilled by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. He is facing allegations of power abuse and violation of the Public Officials Act. After the interrogation, Cho told reporters he did his best and was ready to undergo additional questioning anytime if needed.

[Soundbite] Cho Hee-yeon(Superintendent, Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education) : "I look forward to a balanced judgment. Many state agencies still practice special employment."

The CIO has no plans to summon Cho again yet. Cho is accused of meddling in the hiring of five dismissed teachers from the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union in 2018 through a special recruitment process. He allegedly removed working-level officials without any legitimate reason and had his chief secretary meddle in the selection of the jury. The CIO launched the probe, it’s first ever, in April. The following month it raided the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. Officials involved in the special hiring of dismissed teachers were later summoned for questioning. A CIO official said if the office decides Cho should be indicted, the case will be transferred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office. The official noted that prosecutors do not have the right to probe the matter further because the CIO and the prosecution have the same investigative powers.