Prosecution Seeks Warrant for Former Presidential Aide Byeon

It was confirmed on Wednesday that Shin Jeong-ah, 35, a former Dongguk University art professor accused of fabricating her academic degrees, visited Cheong Wa Dae twice last year – once in August and once in September. The purpose of her visit in one of the cases was allegedly to meet former chief presidential policy secretary Byeon Yang-gyun.

According to Cheong Wa Dae`s visitor log, confirmed by a Cheong Wa Dae official on Wednesday, the disgraced professor met the former presidential secretary Byeon in September last year at Cheong Wa Dae to give advice on paintings in Byeon`s office.

The official said Shin wrote down meeting Byeon as the purpose of her visit on Cheong Wa Dae`s visitor log, but couldn’t meet him. Byeon, at that time, had been positioned as the chief presidential policy secretary, from his position as Planning and Budget Minister, two months before.

Seoul Western District Prosecutors` Office, which in charge of “Shin Jeong-ah Gate,” has recently found evidence of Byeon’s involvement in Shin’s appointment in e-mails sent between Shin and Byeon, and said on Wednesday that Byeon will be summonsed soon to find out the purpose of Shin’s visit to Cheong Wa Dae and on suspicions of Byeon’s exerting influence to protect her.

It was also reported that she visited the presidential office with a government official in August of last year and met with a presidential administrative officer.

The prosecution will focus its inquiry on whether Byeon abused his influence to have the 35-year-old Shin hired by Dongguk University and appointed as a director for the Gwangju Biennale. It will also launch a probe into an allegation that he pushed the owners of large enterprises into patronizing exhibitions which were organized by Shin while working for the Sungkok Art Museum.

The prosecution requested a warrant for seizure again on September 12. It previously requested a warrant to search Byeon’s telephone records, his home, and temporary residence in Jongno, Seoul, but it was turned down by the court citing privacy protection.

The Prosecution is also considering a measure to secure the computers Byeon had used while he served in the Ministry of Planning and Budget and in the presidential office.

In addition, the prosecution summonsed Han Kap-soo, former director of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, and officials from large businesses that provide support funds for the Sungkok Art Museum where Shin worked as curator. Prosecutor Gu Bon-min said, “We have tried to trace Shin’s bank accounts to secure evidence claimed in news reports that part of money the Buddhist temple of Jogye Order received as cultural property protection funds was delivered to Shin, but we couldn’t confirm the allegation.”

In the meantime, the prosecutors’ investigation found that a 43-year-old writer named Lee, who has a close personal relationship with Hong Ki-sam, former president of Dongguk University, was appointed as a policy aide of Byeon, who served as the minister of the minister of Planning and Budget, in April 2005.

Soon after Lee was promoted to the post, the board of Dongguk University began the procedure of hiring Shin, and she was appointed as an assistance professor at Dongguk University in August 2005.

In response this, Lee said on Wednesday, “The decision was probably made by the request of the former president Hong Ki-sam. I paid a courtesy visit to Hong after the employment was announced.”