18 People Reported For Alleged Lunch Budget Embezzlement In A South Korean Private School, Seoul Metropolitan Office Of Education Reveals

Choongam High School's meal system underwent a total of three inspections from May to August this year for the alleged lunch budget embezzlement. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Sunday reveals they have found some issues on the meal system of the private school.

"We've found problems in the school meal system and evidence of embezzlement that adds up to at least 410 million won ($350,000)," the education office reveals, as noted by Korea Joongang Daily on Wednesday. "We've reported 18 people, including the principal, administrative officer and school meal subcontractors, to the prosecution and requested some of them be sacked."

Yahoo! News noted on Thursday that the private school allegedly "stole rice and cooking oil and siphoned thousands of dollars from student meals," as per a spokesman from the South Korean prosecutors.

Reports reveal that the people who are allegedly involve in the embezzlement, "worked together to siphon off some of the school's food supplies from 2012 until recently," Korea Times forecasted on Wednesday.

A teacher from Choongam High School tells a radio station that cooking oil are being reused until it "turned black," adding that black powder are often found in some fried dishes that are being offered by the school's cafeteria.

"Our school has received a low score from the education office's sanitation inspection almost every year," the teacher admits.

Further reports reveal that the school's current subcontractor was allegedly instructed by a previous executive of the school meal subcontractor to "only talk about the business and tell nothing about other affairs when the education office calls."

"Employees of subcontractors did not properly answer questions," an official from an education office inspection says, adding that the employees "appeared to be hiding something."

Meanwhile, school principal Bang Sang Kuk says he plans to file a complaint for libel against Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. The school also denies the allegations of embezzlement.

On the other hand, parents and alumni of the school pledged to initiate their own probe on the issue.