Jokuk and Jung Kyung-shim Couple Confirmed to Stand Trial in the Same Courtroom

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Jo] Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and Dongyang University professor Jung Kyung-shim, a married couple, will stand trial together in one courtroom.

The court stated on this day, "We will not consolidate (the two cases in which Professor Jung was separately indicted)."

This decision by the court comes after Professor Jung's side had opposed, saying "Having the couple stand trial together is humiliating," but they did not take the necessary procedural steps to request consolidation.

On the 30th of last month, Professor Jung's court requested her side, "If you wish to consolidate the parts concerning Professor Jung among the cases of Criminal Division 21, please submit a consolidation application to both Criminal Division 21 and this court by the 3rd."

If Professor Jung wished, the part related to her son’s college admission bribery case, in which former Minister Cho was also indicted, would be separated and tried by Professor Jung's court.

However, Professor Jung's side did not submit the consolidation application by the deadline set by the court, and the court made a final decision on whether to consolidate on this day.

Accordingly, some parts of Professor Jung's case, which were once considered for separation or consolidation, will remain with Criminal Division 21 (Presiding Judge Kim Miri), which is handling former Minister Cho's case. The couple is expected to stand trial together in the same courtroom.

Previously, Professor Jung was indicted in November last year on charges including forgery of private documents and has been on trial at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25.

In December of the same year, when her husband, former Minister Cho, was left on trial for charges including bribery related to their children's college admissions, she was additionally indicted on the same charges, and this case was assigned to the same court’s Criminal Division 21.