[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] On the 12th, former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk said to the political circles and media that raised suspicions about the 'Cho Kuk Fund,' "'Mang-eo-jung-jwe (妄語重罪)' and 'Ak-gu-jung-jwe' (惡口重罪) offenders will enter the 'Balsol Ji-ok' (拔舌地獄)."
Former Minister Cho posted this statement on his Facebook on the same day.
This is a reference from the Buddhist scripture Cheonsugyeong's Ten Evil Repentances (十惡懺悔), which involves repenting for ten kinds of evil deeds. Former Minister Cho criticized the media and opposition parties that raised suspicions about the 'Cho Kuk Fund' by quoting the terms Mang-eo-jung-jwe (crime of lying) and Ak-gu-jung-jwe (crime of evil speech).
'Balsol Ji-ok' is a hell where the tongue is painfully ground as karmic retribution. Beings who commit sins through speech go there. In this place, the tongues of sinners hanging on the rack are pulled out, crushed with clubs until greatly swollen, and then ground over like a field plowed by an ox with a plow, inflicting great pain on the sinners.
On the same day, former Minister Cho opened his Facebook post by sharing articles about suspicions raised by former lawmakers Kim Moo-sung and Hong Joon-pyo, asking, "Do you know the rumor-like stories that circulated in the political and media circles in the second half of last year?"
Former Minister Cho said, "On September 3, 2019, Kim Moo-sung, a member of the Liberty Korea Party, claimed at a National Assembly debate that the 'Cho Kuk Fund was created to prepare funds for Cho's presidential campaign,' and on September 24, former Liberty Korea Party leader Hong Joon-pyo wrote on his Facebook, 'Cho Kuk was caught by Prosecutor Yoon Seok-yeol while trying to raise a large sum of money driven by ambition.'"
He criticized, "The media uniformly reported this absurd fiction," adding, "These remarks clearly show how much the conservative opposition party in the second half of last year encouraged and incited the 'hunt' by reinforcing the 'power-type crime' frame, which was a joint effort between the prosecution and the media."
He raised suspicions, saying, "Who created and provided such ridiculous intelligence? Was it a high-ranking 'straw' in the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, a 'straw' in the prosecution's crime division, an internal conspiracy expert in the conservative party, or was it a joint effort?"
He continued, "Afterwards, the prosecution and media removed the absurd 'presidential campaign fund' story but continuously expanded and reproduced the 'power-type crime' frame."
He also criticized, "In the first trial related to the problematic private equity fund, it was confirmed that neither I nor my family were owners or operators of this fund, but those who spread this frame are now probably laughing, saying, 'We achieved our goal, so we don't care anymore.'"
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
