Southern Seoul prosecutors arrested a Korean-American identified as Kang on suspicion of brokering the jobs and an accomplice identified as Kim for forging certificates. They also booked two Canadians without detention. They are among approximately 70 people who have been deported or are currently in the protection of the Seoul Immigration Bureau.

Investigators said Kang conspired with a Canadian from his workplace to forge a diploma for another Canadian to procure an E-2 visa - issued for teaching English conversation -- from the Immigration Bureau. Kang continued to supply fake documents for an English institutes, charging between US$1,000-1,500 each for some 20 transactions. Kim, meanwhile, is suspected of fabricating eight degrees for $300 a piece by downloading emblems and logos from the University of Toronto in Canada, Arcadia University, UC San Diego in the U.S. and London Metropolitan University in the U.K. from their websites.

Canadians made up the bulk of the unqualified teachers (62) due to a visa exemption treaty that ensures a steady stream of travelers between the two countries. The others were four Australians, three Britons and three Americans. “Starting next March, native foreign language instructors are to be sent to schools across the country, and Korea has had a bad reputation as a haven for unqualified English teachers,” a prosecution source said. The large-scale bust “will be a good deterrent to curb the influx of unqualified instructors."

(englishnews@chosun.com )