|
The POSCO TJ Park Foundation established by Korea¡¯s biggest steelmaker provided study-abroad expenses for 30 civic activists over last three years, but there are allegations that the scholarships have been concentrated on leftwing groups. Grand National Party lawmaker Kim Yong-tae said Thursday according to a list of scholarship recipients by the POSCO TJ Park Foundation, the foundation sent 10 members of leftwing civic groups abroad every year since 2006. The foundation provided US$30,000 a year to each recipient and additional $ 10,000 per person to the schools accepting them.¡±(US$1=W1,159)
¡°There are suspicions that key figures in some civic groups close to high-ranking members of the Roh Moo-hyun administration influenced the selection process,¡± Kim said. ¡°We will get down to the bottom of this in parliamentary audits of government. I also want to ask POSCO why they chose people from these particular groups and provided such privileges.¡±
The foundation said it has been providing opportunities for Korean civic groups ¡°to learn how such groups operate in advanced countries. We selected the recipients through our own criteria and interviews, and there was no pressure from outside or from politicians.¡±
Many recipients of the POSCO scholarships were members of the People¡¯s Association for Measures Against Mad Cow Disease: Korean Women Link, People¡¯s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, Korean Women Workers Association, and Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center. In addition, the Peace Network, Hankyoreh Foundation for Reunification and Culture, and Civil Solidarity for Open Society, all leftwing groups, benefited from the grants. Recipients studied at five schools -- George Washington University, Stanford University, Indiana University, and Columbia University in the U.S., and the University of British Columbia in Canada.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
