Most Gangnam SAT hagwons in breach of law

Private institutions in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam District were caught engaging in illicit administrative activities, stirring further unease after a Korean-American wanted for attempted murder was found operating an English academy earlier this month.

According to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology on Sunday, an investigation of 28 hagwon that help prepare students for the U.S. college entrance exam, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, found 18 had broken the law regarding the employment of teachers.

In cooperation with Seoul Gangnam District Office of Education, the ministry issued correction orders to four hagwon and official warnings to 14 other academies. Some hagwon were found to have been issued multiple warnings and corrections and were fined as well.

Most of the SAT hagwon caught during the investigation had failed to report to appropriate officials the hiring and dismissal of teachers, while other institutions had not publicly posted their tuition fees or had faked ledger entries.

Many of the hagwon failed to submit the required information to the education office, highlighting poor management.

“Hagwon are supposed to submit certificates of completions from universities and criminal background checks for foreigners, but the rules are seldom kept,” said an education office official.

On Aug. 8, a 33-year-old Korean-American, surnamed Kim, wanted for two counts of attempted murder in the U.S. was captured in Seoul after running an English-language academy under a false identity.

Kim is suspected of shooting at two members of a Mexican gang in 1997, but fled to Korea the same year.

He assumed an identity, forged a University of California, Los Angeles diploma, taught at numerous hagwon, and eventually opened an SAT hagwon in Gangnam, charging students a minimum of 1 million won a month.

By Robert Lee (robert@heraldcorp.com)