You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 69

You Have Been Defended – Episode 69

The video posted on the portal exploded with views.

Even without us manipulating the comments, netizens identified Jangmyeong High School as the location of the incident, thanks to the attendance book that briefly appeared in the video.

Soon, complaints to the Office of Education sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

Most were from people claiming to have children or nephews attending Jangmyeong High School, and there were quite a few of them.

And at that moment, reporter Yoon Se-yeon made her move.

[A video showing a final exam paper leak in the second semester of 2008 at Jangmyeong High School, a prestigious school celebrating its 100th anniversary, has been posted online and is causing a stir.

The person in the video was blurred, making it impossible to confirm their identity, but they entered the faculty room alone late at night, opened a cabinet, and looked at the exam paper.

Not only that, but they even took pictures of all the exam papers and answer sheets.

Enraged netizens filed complaints with the relevant Office of Education, and the Office of Education announced that it would investigate the facts and take disciplinary action if a problem is found.]

As the facts, already a hot topic on internet portals, were reported in leading newspapers, the situation began to escalate further.

We posted the video from a PC room [internet cafe], bypassing the IP address and remaining logged out, so the authorities couldn’t trace the original poster.

Therefore, we worried that the Superintendent of Education would try to divert public attention with empty promises of investigation and gloss over the situation.

So, we sent the unblurred video to the Office of Education’s direct email again.

The plan was to proceed like this initially, and if a proper investigation wasn’t conducted, we would post the unblurred video online again.

“Lawyer, you have a call.”

It was on the fourth day after the video became a hot topic.

Kang Min-jae handed me my cell phone as I stood on the veranda, smoking a cigarette.

[Yoon Se-yeon, Reporter]

Looking at the caller ID on the screen, I smiled faintly.

When Yoon Se-yeon called me when I was a prosecutor, I used to find it annoying, but now that she’s on our side, I feel reassured.

“This is Cha Ju-han…”

-Lawyer Cha? It’s me! Yoon Se-yeon.

“I know.”

-Oh, I was wondering if you hadn’t saved my number. Haha.

“Then how have we been in contact until now?”

-That’s true. Ah, it’s not just once or twice that you’ve ignored my calls over the years, so I guess I had a lot built up. Hohoho.

“Anyway, what’s going on?”

-Well, when I think about it, there’s probably nothing new for you, the lawyer behind the case.

“Who’s the lawyer behind the case? I’m just a whistleblower.”

Yoon Se-yeon’s voice was more excited than ever.

She had a scoop that would take up the front page of the morning newspaper, so she couldn’t help but be excited.

Most of the people who subscribe to morning newspapers in Korea are interested in education.

This is because they have children of an age where parents must become education experts themselves.

So, it’s not surprising that this incident would take up the front page of the morning newspaper.

-They say an email came to the Office of Education. The original version of the video with the mosaic removed. I guess it was sent by someone with a name starting with ‘Cha’ and ending with ‘Han’?

“Well, that could be the case. Like Cha Ji-han, or Cha Jong-han.”

-Haha, you don’t have to deny it like that. I’m the kind of reporter who protects the anonymity of whistleblowers like a ghost.

“Just get to the point.”

-The culprit in the video was the principal of Jangmyeong High School. So, they immediately suspended the principal from duty, and whether or not he will be arrested hasn’t been decided yet. I think they’re going to start an audit first. And Jangmyeong High School will be holding a retake of the 1st and 2nd grade final exams next week.

“I see.”

-The principal is claiming that he didn’t intend to leak it and just wanted to check the exam paper. He’s talking nonsense, or so it seems.

“It would seem so to anyone.”

Yoon Se-yeon laughed for a long time at my nonchalant answer.

I didn’t respond and waited for Yoon Se-yeon to finish laughing.

-Ah, I’m in tears, really. Why are you so good at acting? You could be an actor.

“There’s a possibility that there are accomplices or accessories in this case. How are you going to handle this?”

-They’re planning to find out about the accomplices or accessories by shaking down the principal. I’m a little worried. The accomplices might run away in the meantime.

“Hmm… I see.”

-Do you happen to know who the accomplices or accessories are? Ah, of course, I’m not asking you, Lawyer. I was just wondering if the whistleblower might know, so I was just saying what your opinion might be.

Yoon Se-yeon joked, and I smiled and replied.

“I probably know. Of course, that’s just my gut feeling.”

-Oh, really? Then shouldn’t we stop them from running away? They must have made some money leaking the exam papers, so they might just fly away with it.

“Do you think the whistleblower would have started this without such a precaution? It seems like they prepared meticulously, so they probably thought about that part and took care of it.”

-That’s enough self-praise to be a disease.

Reporter Yoon Se-yeon chuckled.

“Anyway, even if the principal has been suspended from duty, if there is still a possibility that accomplices or accessories remain in the school, shouldn’t we root them out before holding the retake exam?”

-Yes, a reporter did ask that question. They said that the re-prepared exam papers will be kept under the supervision of the Office of Education.

I frowned.

Under the supervision of the Office of Education, the influence of Education Superintendent Lee Hyuk-min’s father could be fully exerted.

In this retake exam, Lee Hyuk-min’s grades must drop so that even if the principal keeps his mouth shut, Lee Hyuk-min’s corruption can be exposed.

But if the exam paper is leaked again, Lee Hyuk-min will slip away like an eel.

“Reporter, we need to gather public opinion.”

-Public opinion?

“It would be difficult if the retake exam is conducted under the supervision of the Office of Education. As a result of my personal investigation, it seems that the principal has a connection with the Superintendent of Education.”

-Oh, dear. You’re telling me this high-level information now? Just a moment. I’ll get my notebook.”

I could hear a thumping sound over the receiver, and then Yoon Se-yeon’s panting voice.

-I got it.

“It’s not a matter that needs to be written down in great detail. But I heard that the Superintendent of Education is friends with the principal. The two are classmates from Jangmyeong High School.”

-Oh, really? This smells a bit fishy.

“And the Superintendent of Education’s son is currently a second-year student at Jangmyeong High School.”

-Aha. This smells so strong that my nose hurts.

I couldn’t see her face, but I could imagine her eyes shining over the phone.

-Then, I’ll release this fact first. And I’ll write an article saying that we can’t trust the Office of Education, so it would be better for the police or other investigative agencies to take charge of the exam paper security.

“Yes, that would be good.”

-I didn’t know that the Superintendent of Education’s son was attending Jangmyeong High School at all.

Yoon Se-yeon seemed to be busily moving her pencil, scribbling notes.

-First, I’ll create public opinion as you said. After we verify it and release it exclusively, other media outlets will release it one after another. I trust you’ll understand that much monopoly?

“Of course.”

-Thank you for giving me my daily bread, Lawyer Cha. I’ll make it well and dig into the case properly.

“Thank you.”

Yoon Se-yeon didn’t answer my words.

And after a while, she said with an awkward smile.

-It’s a long life. I’m hearing the world’s FM robot [someone who always says the right thing] say thank you.

“Gratitude is gratitude. Reporter Yoon’s contribution was great this time.”

-Ah, you’re talking too much like the person behind the case. Weren’t you supposed to pretend you weren’t?

“It’s not pretending, it’s not.”

-Yes, I understand. I’ll contact you as soon as I hear any other news. Shall we meet sometime? I’d like to buy you a meal.

“I’m busy with the case, so it’ll be difficult for the time being.”

-There’s no such thing as an iron wall. That’s why you don’t have a girlfriend.

“I don’t want to be lectured on my personal life.”

-Yes, yes. I understand. Anyway, thank you for your words today, and I’ll hang up now. I have to get it reviewed by the editor-in-chief.

“Good work.”

The phone hung up.

I leaned deeply into the chair.

If the fact that the Superintendent of Education’s son is a student at Jangmyeong High School and that he has a connection with the principal is revealed, Lee Hyuk-min will not be able to avoid suspicion.

“I feel like every case we take on is shaking up Korea.”

Kang Min-jae, who had been eavesdropping on my conversation with Yoon Se-yeon, swaggered with a proud face.

I glanced at him.

“Wasn’t that what you wanted?”

Then, Kang Min-jae smiled and replied.

“Of course. It’s for the prosperity of the office.”

I don’t know if it’s for the prosperity of the office or to satisfy his attention-seeking desires.

Instead of answering, I raised my cell phone.

And with my other hand, I rummaged through the files piled up on the desk and took out one of them.

“What is this? Um? Isn’t this Kim Hak-sung’s adultery photo?”

I nodded and listened to the voice coming from the receiver.

-Ah, aren’t you the lawyer? This, this. Are you calling because it’s time to settle the accounts? You haven’t forgotten, have you? That I gave a lot of money to the education broker to get the information. You have to give me a good price.

Tae-shik, with his relaxed voice, began to act slick.

I cut him off with a single word.

“That’s not it.”

-Tch, then what is it?

“I think we should consider the possibility of Kim Hak-sung running away. You know, the affair photos we secured last time.”

-Ah, that inappropriate relationship with the academy assistant?

“Yes.”

-What about it?

“Use that as evidence to accuse him. If we arrest him for adultery, he won’t be able to run away.”

At my words, Tae-shik burst into laughter, close to a hollow laugh.

-You’re really relentless, Lawyer.

“Shut up and do as I say.”