Did a backroom deal decide Seoul superintendent election?

Seoul education superintendent Kwak No-hyun and Seoul National University of Education professor Park Myoung-gee agreed to pick a unified candidate representing liberal parties on May 19 last year, or about 15 days before the superintendent election.

When the two candidates held an urgent news conference at the office of the Korea Green Foundation in downtown Seoul the same day and made an announcement, the Rev. Kim Sang-geun, Seoul National University professor emeritus Baek Nak-chung and the Buddhist monk Chung Hwa were there.

For a greater cause, civic groups intervened for mediation, and both liberal and conservative groups made supporting announcements.

Prosecutors, however, found evidence of “backroom dealing” unlike what appeared then.

Kim, who had led the decision, said in an interview Tuesday, “When I happened to learn that Professor Park was considering quitting the race, I called in both candidates to the Korea Green Foundation on May 19 last year.”

Kim, Baek and Chung Hwa told Park, who arrived around 10 a.m., "We cannot say any of you should give up the race. But unless you make a change now, both of you will not be able to make it.”

Thirty minutes later, they told the same story to then superintendent candidate Kwak.

“Park seemed to take it very seriously. Kwak seemed pathetic in that he apparently could neither accept nor decline it,” Kim said.

Kim put the two candidates together and tried to leave the room after saying, “You two discuss between yourselves to select one candidate.”

Park, however, said he would drop out of the race. Kim said he was surprised to hear such a quick answer, but was nonetheless impressed and wrote a news release right away.

The news release said, “We’ve agreed that this election will serve as an important opportunity for the development of democracy education, and delegated the right to select one candidate to the seniors of civic groups. Park decided to give up the race for a greater cause.”

After the two candidates reached an agreement, conservative and liberal groups began to act. On May 20 last year, 2,177 people from civic groups and religious and educational circles made a declaration supporting Kwak.

Three days later, Kwak attended the first anniversary of the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun and read a eulogy.

yena@donga.com