A suspended prison sentence has been finalized for former Dongyang University President Choi Seong-hae, who was brought to trial on charges of occupational embezzlement.
The Supreme Court's Third Division (presiding Justice Lee Hong-gu) said on the 30th that on the 20th it finalized the lower court ruling that sentenced the former president, who was indicted without detention on charges of occupational embezzlement, to four months in prison suspended for one year.
The former president worked as president at Dongyang University in Punggi-eup, Yeongju, North Gyeongsang, starting in March 1994. From 2012 to 2014, he paid 16.08 million won in dues to the Council of Korean Private University Foundations using revenue belonging to Dongyang University's tuition accounting. However, dues belonging to corporate accounting may not be paid with tuition accounting revenue.
In addition, at Yeongju FM Broadcasting, a nonprofit corporation where he served as board chair, the former president falsely hired A, who had been working unpaid, as a Dongyang University faculty-staff member and paid salary.
Yeongju FM is a local radio station whose broadcast range covers the Yeongju area. Its office is on the third floor of the Dongyang University main building. Around 2013, when Yeongju city support was cut and management became difficult, A was working without pay.
Around February that year, A happened to meet the former president at a hospital and said, "My wife has cancer, and it's hard because we have no money." Taking into account that A needed to care for his wife, the former president hired him as a day laborer for maintenance (facility upkeep). Although A resigned from Yeongju FM in January 2017 after working since March 2013, he continued to work in the station's office. The salary paid by Dongyang University was about 1.7 million won per month, totaling 80 million won over four years.
In the first trial, the court sentenced the former president, who was indicted on two counts of occupational embezzlement, to six months in prison suspended for two years. The first-trial panel explained the sentencing, saying it did not appear the former president committed the offenses for personal gain.
In the second trial, the court sentenced the former president to four months in prison suspended for one year. The appeals panel said that while the former president served as Dongyang University president for 25 years and contributed to the development of private education, the sentence imposed in the first trial was somewhat heavy.
Finding no error in the appellate judgment, the Supreme Court dismissed the former president's appeal.
Under the Private School Act, a person sentenced to a fine of 3 million won or more for occupational embezzlement cannot retain the post. With the former president losing the presidency, Dongyang University is proceeding with the process of appointing a new president.