World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
Chosun University professors acquitted in faculty hiring case
A court in Gwangju, South Korea, acquitted two Chosun University dance professors accused of interfering with a faculty hiring process.
The professors were charged with working with members of a hiring panel to secure a teaching post for someone they knew.
The case concerned a December 2021 recruitment, in which one candidate was recommended for appointment after scoring highly in a public lecture assessment.
The judge said the evidence did not prove the accusations, noting that the changed assessment method applied to all candidates.
The allegations emerged in early 2022, and the case went to trial after more than three years of police and prosecution investigations.
Prosecutors have appealed the acquittal, so the case will continue.
A South Korean court acquitted two Chosun University professors accused of interfering with a faculty hiring process.
The Gwangju District Court said the evidence presented by prosecutors was insufficient to prove the charges.
The professors had been accused of conspiring with examiners to help a person they knew become a full-time lecturer.
Prosecutors appealed the first-instance ruling on October 15.
The case followed an investigation that lasted more than three years.
- Who
- Two Chosun University professors in its Department of Dance, including Professor A, were acquitted.
- What
- They were acquitted of interfering with the university’s hiring process. Prosecutors appealed.
- When
- The hiring process took place in December 2021. The court recently issued its ruling, and prosecutors appealed on October 15.
- Where
- Chosun University in South Korea; the ruling was issued by the Gwangju District Court.
- Why
- The court found that the evidence did not prove the professors’ charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
The prosecutors
The two professors
Allegation
The prosecutors
Prosecutors accused the professors of conspiring with examiners to help a person they knew secure a lecturer position.
The two professors
The professors were charged with interfering with the university’s personnel work; the article does not report their response to the allegations.
Hiring process
The prosecutors
Prosecutors alleged that the professors told an examiner the order of candidates, changed the assessment method and appointed an acquaintance as an examiner.
The two professors
The court said the changed assessment method applied equally to all candidates and that friendship with examiners alone did not establish biased scoring.
Court outcome
The prosecutors
Prosecutors disagreed with the first-instance ruling and appealed.
The two professors
The professors were acquitted because the court found the evidence insufficient.
The professors were accused of interfering with the hiring of a full-time lecturer.
Allegations of hiring irregularities in the university’s Department of Dance were raised.
The trial began after more than three years of investigation, according to the article.
The Gwangju District Court acquitted the two professors.
Prosecutors filed an appeal against the first-instance ruling.
- Defendants
- Two Chosun University professors
- Charge
- Interference with business
- Court
- Gwangju District Court
- Hiring year
- 2021
- Appeal date
- October 15
- Verdict
- Acquittal in the first instance
1 source
What people are saying
The changed assessment method was applied equally to all candidates, not just one particular applicant.
The fact that they were acquainted with the examiners alone does not allow us to infer that the assessment was biased.