Ruling and Opposition Parties Trade Barbs Over University President's Testimony in Yoo Seung-min Daughter Hiring Scandal

As police referred former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, Incheon National University President Lee In-jae, and two others to prosecutors without detention on charges of obstruction of business over allegations of the preferential hiring of Yoo Dam, Yoo's daughter and a professor at the university's department of trade, the ruling and opposition parties clashed at the National Assembly's Education Committee audit on the 16th over claims of "presidential perjury" and a "politicized police."

The allegations first surfaced at last year's government audit. Police received a complaint in November last year and launched an investigation, questioning 29 people including Incheon National University officials across 39 sessions and conducting four raids.

Rep. Baek Seung-ah of the Democratic Party said, "The issue raised at last year's Education Committee audit has been proven true," adding that those responsible, including the university president, would be held accountable based on the outcome of the trial and a Board of Audit and Inspection review. She also said she would verify whether the president had committed perjury.

Rep. Seo Beom-su of the People Power Party stressed that nothing is confirmed, since the case must be re-examined by prosecutors and the courts. Citing the raid on the president's office on the day of the university's graduation ceremony in February and the referral announcement made on the day of the parliamentary audit, he criticized the police, saying they were "trying to become a politicized police force."