Professor Found Guilty in First Trial for Ousting Rival with False Petition in "Unfair Hiring" Scandal

Suwon District Court Sentences Defendant to 8 Months in Prison, Suspended for 2 Years

Victim Says, "It Took Too Long for the Truth to Come Out, and I Lost My Opportunity for Appointment"

A professor in his 50s who sabotaged a rival candidate with a false anonymous petition during a faculty recruitment process and ultimately secured the position himself has been given a suspended prison sentence in a first trial.

On September 10, according to Yonhap News, Judge Ji Sun-kyung of Criminal Division 11 of the Suwon District Court sentenced a professor in his 50s, identified as A, from Kyonggi University, to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, on charges of defamation and obstruction of work.

Exterior view of Suwon District Court. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Professor A was brought to trial on charges of sending an anonymous petition containing false information to school board members during the 2021 hiring process for a new professor in Korean Painting at Kyonggi University. The petition, intended to discredit his rival candidate B, defamed B and obstructed the university’s faculty recruitment process.

At that time, A reportedly wrote a petition alleging, among other things, that "B was illegally hired by giving several hundred million won in bribes to the former president through the introduction of Professor C," and "Professor C falsified B’s achievements for the appointment." These letters were sent to individuals capable of influencing the new hiring decision, including board members, the head of the faculty council, and the president of the labor union. As a result of the petition’s impact, at the board meeting held in August 2021, the agenda item for B’s appointment was ultimately voted down. After an internal investigation was conducted at the school’s request, A was appointed as professor through a new recruitment process held about two years later, in 2023.

During the trial, A argued, "The rumors were so widespread that I had reasonable grounds to believe they were true, and my intention was to call for a proper investigation in the public interest." He further claimed, "I submitted the petition anonymously because I was concerned it might negatively affect my own prospects of being hired." However, the court did not accept A’s arguments.

The judge explained, "Victim B did not request favors or provide money in relation to the faculty appointment, and Professor C neither received money nor made such an introduction. The university’s own investigation also found no evidence substantiating the contents of the petition." The judge further remarked, "The defendant never actually heard such rumors directly from the professor he named as the source, nor did he make any minimal effort to verify the facts. Rather than formally raising the issue, he sent multiple anonymous petitions to numerous individuals, making it difficult to trace the source and fueling suspicion. This demonstrates at least implicit intent regarding the falsity of the claims."

On the charge of obstruction of work, the court stated, "It was confirmed during the investigation that the anonymous petition had a decisive impact on the board’s decision to reject the hiring. As a result, actual interference with the faculty recruitment process took place," finding A guilty. In explaining the sentencing, the court pointed out, "The defendant sent the anonymous petition simultaneously to multiple university officials and used categorical and defamatory statements, which makes the nature of the crime particularly grave. In addition, the defendant caused serious harm to the victims but has yet to fully admit his wrongdoing."

Victim B, who attended the first trial sentencing, said, "It took far too long for the truth to come to light, and as a result, I lost the opportunity I had devoted decades to securing due to my age," and appealed, "Now that the first criminal conviction has been rendered, I hope the university will resolve the issues surrounding A’s faculty employment as quickly as possible, in accordance with established rules and regulations." Kyonggi University announced that, in light of the verdict, it will review disciplinary measures against Professor A through internal procedures.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.