Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who is accused of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights in connection with the suspicion of 'Yoo Jae-soo inspection cover-up,' is leaving Seoul Eastern Detention Center in Songpa-gu and heading to his car after his arrest warrant was dismissed on the morning of December 27 last year. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk (55) was indicted without detention last month on charges including bribery, prompting Seoul National University to announce that it would consider whether to suspend his position. In response, supporters of Cho have launched a petition campaign opposing the suspension.
Recently, on SNS and various online communities, a petition site titled "Please stop the suspension of Professor Cho Kuk" has been posted.
According to the site, overseas Korean residents opposing Cho's suspension have established the petition site. However, the authenticity has not been confirmed.
The petitioner stated, "Just before going to bed, I received the shocking news that Seoul National University is considering suspending Professor Cho Kuk," adding, "(Cho Kuk) could have spent peaceful and happy days with his family if he had not taken on the role of Minister of Justice. He has suffered unbearable humiliation and pain, with his family shattered, simply because he stepped forward for the mission of prosecutorial reform, and now even the last remaining school is considering suspension."
He continued, "There is no humiliation left for Professor Cho to endure, so suspension is unacceptable. It cannot be allowed," and said, "He has always said, 'My place is at the university.' He pledged to President Moon Jae-in that 'this is the only time' and promised, 'I will definitely return to the university after this position.'"
Opposition to the dismissal of Cho Kuk (55), former Minister of Justice / Photo by 'Please stop the dismissal of Professor Cho Kuk' website screen capture
He emphasized, "The university is his everything and his last remaining honor, and yet they want to take even that away," adding, "He has never committed any wrongdoing deserving of this."
He further stated, "If you have eyes and reason, look at the indictment against Professor Cho. The indictment does not claim guilt but rather proves his innocence," and argued, "Even after thoroughly examining the indictment, where is the evidence of power-related corruption? Nothing comes up, so they included his daughter's school records and personal statements, and even his son's online quizzes during his study abroad."
He pleaded, "Please let his sincere response to the trial be the last burden he has to bear," and added, "That alone is an unbearable pain, so please do not inflict any more suffering."
Finally, he appealed, "I beg Seoul National University to show that reason and wisdom still live there," and urged, "Overseas Koreans, those in Korea, professors, please join forces to persuade Seoul National University to make the right decision."
The petition aims to collect 50,000 signatures by the 19th. According to the site, as of 9:30 a.m. on the 17th, about 32,700 signatures had been collected.
Previously, on December 31 of last year, former Minister Cho was indicted without detention on charges including bribery, violation of the Public Official Ethics Act, and forgery of official documents. Seoul National University stated on the day, "We plan to consider suspension upon receiving official notification related to the indictment in accordance with relevant regulations."
If Seoul National University suspends Cho Kuk's position, it is expected that no classes will be offered in the first semester of this year. However, suspension is a different concept from dismissal or removal as disciplinary action; it means the temporary cessation of duties as a professor, such as teaching and research.
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