Mega Study English instructor Jo Jung-sik (42) has been referred to the prosecution over allegations of trading exam questions with a current teacher. If the allegations are true, it undermines the trust in the entire college entrance examination system. Amidst this, the production team of 'Teachers 2' has chosen to proceed with the broadcast as scheduled, rather than postponing it, which has sparked controversy.
On the 13th, Yoon Hye-ji, the PD of Channel A's educational entertainment program 'Teachers 2', expressed her regret regarding the issue that arose at the start of the program. CP Kim Seung-hoon stated, "Although it is a seasonal program, the recording is almost complete," and added, "It does not mean we will unconditionally proceed with the broadcast until the results come out, but we plan to respond cautiously while monitoring public opinion."
He further mentioned, "Currently, it is difficult to change the episode, and this week's broadcast will go as scheduled." CP Kim explained the background for choosing to proceed with the broadcast, saying, "The production team is in a situation where the results have not come out yet to respond proactively," and "I don't think the (legal) results will come out immediately. We will discuss it well to ensure that viewers are not uncomfortable."
Since the charges have not yet been confirmed and editing is not easy at this time, it means that this week's broadcast (on the 15th) will air without edits.
However, proceeding with the broadcast may lead to criticisms that the production team is taking the issue somewhat lightly.
On the day of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), military training is suspended, and the working hours of public offices are delayed. During the English listening assessment, all flights across the country are completely controlled. The entire nation makes efforts to ensure that students can take the exam without inconvenience. This clearly shows how important the CSAT is considered in the country.
The 'question trading' between current teachers and private education companies/instructors undermines trust in the important college entrance examination system like the CSAT. If the 'questions' created by teachers who have directly participated in the CSAT are leaked to the private education market, specific students who see those questions will have an unfair advantage.
Jo Jung-sik included a passage identical to the one from question 23 of the English section of the CSAT held in November 2022, except for one sentence, in a private mock exam provided to students before the CSAT. As a result, numerous objections were filed with the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, claiming that students who had taken Jo Jung-sik's private mock exam had an absolute advantage.
In response to the controversy, the Ministry of Education requested an investigation, and the Board of Audit and Inspection also began an audit. The investigation revealed that Jo Jung-sik had obtained the questions, including the passage in question, from a current teacher in advance and reflected them in his private mock exam. It is particularly noted that the passage was handed over through a person who had a close relationship with the teacher who created it.
Additionally, in 2022, he was found to have received two unpublished EBS CSAT-linked textbooks and the answer explanations for the CSAT and mock evaluations from Teacher A, for which he allegedly paid 58 million won. Moreover, he is also suspected of trading questions with 21 teachers who have experience in writing CSAT and EBS questions.
According to current Ministry of Education guidelines, it is prohibited for current teachers to engage in transactions that involve creating questions for academy textbooks. Violating this can lead to dismissal or termination.
Regarding this incident, Jo Jung-sik's side claims 'no charges'. Lawyers Choi Bong-kyun and Jeong Seong-yeop (from the law firm Pyeongan) stated in an official position on the 11th, "Jo Jung-sik and our legal team are confident that all charges referred to the prosecution are clearly 'not guilty' and deny that Jo Jung-sik directly paid 58 million won to the teacher involved in the case."
They emphasized, "The case is currently undergoing a strict investigation process by the investigative agency, and the judgment on the facts will be clearly revealed through the results of the future investigation."
This incident has not yet concluded with the investigation and legal judgment of the investigative agency. Depending on the results of the future prosecution investigation, there is a possibility that charges against Jo Jung-sik may be confirmed or concluded as 'not guilty'. However, since this involves a significant issue related to entrance exams, the broadcasting company should show a more cautious attitude considering the social repercussions.
If the broadcast proceeds as scheduled amidst ongoing allegations, there are concerns about secondary damage to the general public participants. Broadcasting as a public medium must prioritize fairness and transparency. Given the growing concerns of viewers, it is a critical time for more proactive measures, such as temporarily suspending the broadcast or additional editing, rather than airing the program as is.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
