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| Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon announces the findings of an audit into Seoul Chungdam High School, which allegedly gave preference in grading and attendance to Chung Yoo-ra, daughter of President Park Geun-hye's confidant Choi Soon-sil, during a press briefing at the education office in Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap |
By Kim Rahn
Seoul's education office is seeking to annul the high school graduation of Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of President Park Geun-hye's confidant Choi Soon-sil, following revelation the school gave her favors in grading and attendance and she hadn't fulfilled the qualifications to graduate.
The finding comes two days before the Ministry of Education is also set to announce the results of its audit on Chung's suspicious admission and grading at Ewha Womans University, which is believed to have been due to her mother's influence.
If her high school graduation is canceled, her admission to Ewha may be automatically scrapped. She already told the university she would drop out, although the dropout process has not been completed.
Following weeks of inspection at Chungdam High School in southern Seoul, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) said Wednesday it has found numerous faults in the school's management of Chung's attendance, test and grades.
Chung, a dressage competitor, attended the school from 2012 to 2014. Of about 200 schooldays a year, she came to school 126 days in 2012, 137 days in 2013 and only 17 days in 2014, with the excuse that she participated in competitions or training overseas.
When student athletes have to miss classes due to such occasions, they are supposed to submit related documents to prove their participation and schools acknowledge their absence. However, Chung failed to do so in many cases and Chungdam just acknowledged her absence, according to the SMOE.
While a high school dressage competitor is allowed to participate in up to four competitions a year, Chung competed in more without the school's approval.
Despite such poor attendance, teachers gave her high grades, often fabricating her student records.
"The rule of attendance and grading management, which should be applied equally, collapsed only for this student," SMOE Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon said in a press briefing.
He said the audit showed Choi was behind the irregularities ― she attempted to bribe the school principal and teachers three times, and one teacher allegedly accepted it. Choi also used abusive language and threatened teachers who disapproved of Chung's frequent absences, saying she knew high-profile figures in the education ministry and would get them sacked.
The SMOE said it would ask the prosecution to investigate Choi over the allegations, as well as the school officials involved. "We'll also correct Chung's attendance and grades, and remove award records of competitions in which she took part without approval. We'll also seek legal advice over whether we can cancel her graduation," Cho said.
If the award records are annulled, the process to select her as a national team member for the 2014 Incheon Asian Games based on the records may be reviewed as well, the office said.
