Admission Fraud Rampant At Colleges

Turmoil weighs down on the state-run Korea National University of Arts following reports of admission fraud involving double bass professor Lee Ho-gyo. Lee is under investigation for abusing his status by receiving money from the parents of applicants in exchange for getting them enrolled in the school. / Korea Times

By Na Jeong-ju

Kim, a 22-year-old double bassist attending the Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts), one of the best art schools here, still vividly remembers when he first met professor Lee Ho-gyo in early 2010.

His father arranged the meeting after he failed the annual college admission exam the previous year. Kim was advised to take private lessons from Lee, the only professor teaching double bass in the school.

“I thought taking lessons directly from Lee was a great opportunity for me to become a musician and enter college although it would cost a lot,” Kim said in a telephone interview. “My father told me that I don’t have to worry about money and just practice hard. So I did and eventually entered K-Arts’ music school.”

Later, he found out that Lee was a greedy, dishonest man using his status to extort money from parents of applicants and “sell” admissions.

Lee is now under investigation by the prosecution for allegedly receiving billions of won from parents since 2006 in return for giving them high scores so they could gain admittance. Lee also illegally tu...

Turmoil weighs down on the state-run Korea National University of Arts following reports of admission fraud involving double bass professor Lee Ho-gyo. Lee is under investigation for abusing his status by receiving money from the parents of applicants in exchange for getting them enrolled in the school. / Korea Times

By Na Jeong-ju

Kim, a 22-year-old double bassist attending the Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts), one of the best art schools here, still vividly remembers when he first met professor Lee Ho-gyo in early 2010.

His father arranged the meeting after he failed the annual college admission exam the previous year. Kim was advised to take private lessons from Lee, the only professor teaching double bass in the school.

“I thought taking lessons directly from Lee was a great opportunity for me to become a musician and enter college although it would cost a lot,” Kim said in a telephone interview. “My father told me that I don’t have to worry about money and just practice hard. So I did and eventually entered K-Arts’ music school.”

Later, he found out that Lee was a greedy, dishonest man using his status to extort money from parents of applicants and “sell” admissions.

Lee is now under investigation by the prosecution for allegedly receiving billions of won from parents since 2006 in return for giving them high scores so they could gain admittance. Lee also illegally tu...