As an independent counsel is set to take over the investigation into the spiraling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her confidante Choi Soon sil, eyes are on when Choi’s daughter Chung Yoo-ra will return to Korea.

Chung, a 19-year-old dressage rider, is involved in the scandal, but has not been brought in for questioning yet.

Chung is said to be in Germany, on leave of absence from Ewha Womans University. Her mother, who stayed there with Chung, returned to Korea last month and is now under arrest.

The Ministry of Education confirmed through a special inspection that she was illegally accepted into the university and was given overly generous marks without attending classes or turning in assignments at Ewha, due to her mother’s status.
Choi, who holds no government post, is suspected of meddling in state affairs, extorting donations from conglomerates and getting her daughter accepted into the prestigious university through her ties to the embattled president. It is also suspected that Samsung Group, a corporate sponsor of Chung, received business favors from the government in return for generous support of Chung.  

“As we are investigating the Ewha case, Chung Yoo-ra will be questioned at some point,” said an official from the prosecution, without specifying an exact date.

A special committee for the parliamentary inquiry summoned Choi and Chung as witnesses for questioning at the second hearing to be held on Dec. 7 at the National Assembly in Seoul.

But it remains to be seen whether she will accept the call, as her lawyer Lee Kyung-jae, who is also representing Choi, said Wednesday that Chung would only return to Korea when the prosecution formally calls her in for questioning.

The prosecution has brought in several ranking officials from the university, including the university’s former President Choi Kyung-hee and admissions chief Namgung Kon, on charges of obstructing business. It raided the school on Nov. 22.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education said Thursday it would suspend financial support for Ewha Womans University for its irregularities surrounding the admissions process.

The ministry has provided select universities with state budget funds to help improve their university admission systems.

Ewha, which won the project for three straight years dating to 2014, received about 700 million won ($598,000) this year. The money will be withdrawn and the school will be excluded from the financial aid next year.

Ewha Womans University had already won eight of nine state-funded projects, which critics say could be a result of the school giving special favors to Chung. But the Education Ministry’s inspection could not confirm the links.

By Ock Hyun-ju  (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)