Former National Assembly Speaker Park Hee-tae will lecture at Konkuk University as a chair professor.

The university said that a committee to examine chair professor candidates has picked Park to teach at its law school. He has only to complete the formality of receiving a letter of appointment from the school president. He is to start lectures beginning this spring semester.

Konkuk recruits chair professors on a one-year contract, which is renewable annually for up to five years.

Park worked as a prosecutor for about 20 years and served in the Justice Ministry as minister. He received a doctorate in law from Konkuk University.

The 75-year-old was a six-time lawmaker and a key campaigner for Lee Myung-bak in winning the presidential election. He stepped down as National Assembly speaker last year under mounting criticism for ordering his aides to deliver “pocket money” to lawmakers ahead of his party convention in July 2008.

Later he was charged with violation of a political party law which bans politicians from giving or accepting money in connection with polls. The court sentenced him to eight months in prison with a two-year reprieve. But he was granted a special pardon in January by then-President Lee, about a month before his retirement.

By Chun Sung-woo  (swchun@heraldcorp.com)