South Korea's Supreme Court Confirms Two-Year Sentence for Opposition Leader Cho Kuk
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Seoul, December 12 (NationPress) - The Supreme Court of South Korea on Thursday confirmed a two-year prison sentence for Cho Kuk, the leader of a minor political party, who was found guilty of academic fraud related to his children and unlawful interference with a governmental inspection.
The court imposed the two-year sentence and required Cho to forfeit 6 million won ($4,184), ruling that the 59-year-old misused his influence to secure academic advantages, including university admissions for his children, and obstructed an investigation into a corruption case by leveraging his authority as a presidential aide.
As the current head of the Opposition Rebuilding Korea Party, Cho will also forfeit his parliamentary position and his eligibility to run in presidential elections for the next five years.
Immediately following the announcement of his sentence, Cho expressed that he “humbly accepts” the court's ruling.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office has summoned him to appear on Friday to commence his sentence.
However, Cho has reportedly requested a delay, citing his responsibilities, including the transfer of leadership within his party, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
According to prosecution guidelines, an individual sentenced can defer their appearance by up to three days if they require urgent medical care or need to attend a family event such as a wedding or funeral.
Depending on the decision of the prosecution, Cho could start serving his term as soon as Friday, but no later than the following Monday.
A former law professor at Seoul National University, Cho served as the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs from 2017 to 2019 under President Moon Jae-in. He was appointed justice minister in September 2019 but resigned a month later due to the ongoing scandal.
In December 2019, he was indicted on multiple charges, including the fabrication of documents to assist his two children in gaining admission to universities and graduate programs, and receiving a kickback valued at 6 million won in the form of a scholarship for his daughter, who was enrolled in a medical school in Busan.
He faced additional charges for reportedly using his influence as a presidential aide to halt an investigation into bribery allegations against a former vice mayor of Busan.
