Yoo Eun-hye "Reviewing Legal Measures to Cancel Admission of Cho Min, Daughter of Cho Kuk, to Pusan National University"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye is attending the Emergency Economic Central Countermeasures Headquarters meeting and the Korean New Deal related ministers' meeting held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 23rd of last month. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-eun] Yoo Eun-hye, Minister of Education, stated on the 27th that the issue of canceling the admission of Cho Min, daughter of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, to the Busan National University Medical School is "under various legal reviews."

Minister Yoo said on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that "So far, we have proceeded according to standards and principles in all matters, and although this issue is currently under trial which makes it difficult, we are conducting various legal reviews," adding this statement.

In response to a listener's comment that "In the case of Jung Yoo-ra, the Ministry of Education conducted a special audit of Ewha Womans University before the court's final ruling," she said, "In Jung Yoo-ra's case, there were issues related to the school's regulations and matters under the Ministry of Education's jurisdiction and management, so there were priority issues where the Ministry could exercise its authority."

She continued, "However, in Cho Min's case, when this issue arose in 2019, the prosecution had already started an investigation very quickly and obtained all the materials, making it difficult for us to conduct an audit," explaining, "Because the prosecution's investigation and legal trial process proceeded first, the situation was difficult."

She added, "Since the facts needed to be clarified across multiple stages including the university and the medical school, the trial process has been ongoing until now," and said, "The first trial verdict has been issued, Busan National University Medical School's position has been presented, and we have also received a request for an audit, so I would like to say that we are reviewing everything comprehensively."

Photo by former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and Professor Jung Kyung-shim couple.

Earlier, Busan National University President Cha Jung-in said at last year's National Assembly audit, "The decision regarding Cho Min, who is enrolled in the medical school, will be made through a deliberation body according to the school regulations and admission guidelines after the court's final ruling is issued."

Busan National University also stated on the 22nd, "Our university's consistent official position is to handle the admission of the child of former Minister Cho Kuk to the Busan National University Medical School transparently and according to principles once the court's final ruling is made."

In response, the 'National Professors' Group for Social Justice (Jeonggyomo)' criticized on the 25th, saying, "Busan National University is fundamentally undermining the fairness and reliability of the admission system under the pretext of protecting human rights," and added, "Rather than proactively taking steps to clarify whether Cho Min committed admission fraud, hiding behind Jung Kyung-shim's confirmed verdict to protect Cho Min's right to defense is an act that denies Busan National University's very legitimacy as an educational institution."