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A bogus degree scandal surrounding former Dongguk University assistant professor Shin Jeong-ah has been among the top topics of discussion among Koreans for over a month and a half now. Now the only way that suspicions over Shin can be resolved is for the key players in this sordid drama to come out and speak the truth. Those people are a Buddhist monk, the Ven. Jangyoon, who was the first to raise suspicions over Shin's degree, the chief presidential secretary for national policy Byeon Yang-kyoon, who is under suspicion for trying to silence the Ven. Jangyoon, the Ven. Youngbae, chairman of the board of Dongguk University, and Hong Ki-sam, former president of Dongguk University, who hired Shin in 2005.
The presidential secretary, reports said, called Jangyoon during Jul. 2 to 5 from Guatemala, where the president was on a state visit, asking the Buddhist monk not to raise a stink over Shin's degree. Byeon has denied making such phone calls. All it takes is a look at Jang's phone records to reveal who is telling the truth. But Jangyoon has gone into hiding, refusing to respond to summons by state prosecutors.
Through the presidential spokesman, Byeon said on Friday that he did speak with Jangyoon on July 8 after returning from Guatemala. Byeon said he discussed the complicated situation facing Dongguk University, but denied talking about Shin. It remains unclear what the "complicated situation" was at that time. Again through the presidential spokesman, Byeon said on Monday that his own comments would only amplify the suspicions out there. It seems Byeon has some unmentionable reasons that are keeping him back, even though suspicions are growing by the day.
The Ven. Youngbae and former Dongguk University president Hong must be fully aware of the process that took place when Shin was hired. But both are keeping their mouths tightly shut. In an interview with a Buddhist news agency on July 2, Ven. Youngbae defended Shin, saying her degree was genuine. Even though it learned on Jul. 11 that Shin's degree was fake, it wasn't until Jul. 23, a week after the bogus academic had fled to the United States, that Dongguk University filed charges against her for fraud.
Jangyoon, Byeon, Youngbae and Hong must now come forward. By cross-examining their accounts, we will be able to ascertain once and for all what the truth is behind this case of organized fraud and who was behind everything.
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