[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The Supreme Court's ruling on Jeong Gyeong-sim, former professor at Dongyang University and wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was sentenced to four years in prison in the first and second trials on charges including admission bribery involving their children, will be announced on the 27th.
According to the legal community on the 14th, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Cheon Dae-yeop) will hold the sentencing hearing for former professor Jeong, who was indicted on charges including obstruction of business and violation of the Capital Markets Act, at 10:15 a.m. on the 27th.
Former professor Jeong was initially indicted on charges of forging a certificate of commendation from Dongyang University for her daughter, Cho Min. At that time, the couple, former Minister Cho Kuk and his wife, were also suspected of agreeing to invest an amount exceeding their publicly disclosed assets into a private equity fund, and of exerting undue influence or fabricating documents during their children's admission process.
The prosecution launched a forced investigation in August 2019, and even after indicting former professor Jeong, they brought to trial Cho Kuk’s siblings and their fifth cousin Cho Beom-dong. In November of the same year, additional 14 charges were added against former professor Jeong, who was indicted while in custody.
In the first trial last year, most of the charges against former professor Jeong were found guilty, and she was sentenced to four years in prison, fined 500 million won, and ordered to pay 140 million won in fines. The second trial court also recognized all charges related to admission bribery (including obstruction of business) as guilty and sentenced her to four years in prison, the same as the first trial.
However, some charges related to insider trading involving the secondary battery company WFM (violation of the Capital Markets Act) were overturned as not guilty, resulting in a reduction of the fine and confiscation to 50 million won and about 10 million won, respectively.
Former professor Jeong, who was detained in a detention center, applied for bail to the court on the 10th, citing health deterioration.
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