"Jo Guk and Jeong Gyeong-sim Are Results of Yoon's Retaliatory Investigation... Should Be Specially Pardoned Within Moon's Term" 청원

Jeong Gyeong-sim's 4-Year Prison Sentence Confirmed by Supreme Court Last January

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk (left) and former Dongyang University professor Jung Kyung-shim. / Photo by Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A petition requesting a special pardon for Jeong Gyeong-sim, former professor at Dongyang University and spouse of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was sentenced to four years in prison by the Supreme Court last January on charges including admission fraud involving their children, has been posted.

On the 13th, a petition titled "Request for Special Pardon of Minister Cho Kuk and Professor Jeong Gyeong-sim to the President" was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board. The petition had gained 18,341 supporters as of 5 p.m. on the 14th, just one day after being posted.

The petitioner, who introduced themselves as a "candlelight citizen," began by saying, "The fraud committed by Prosecutor Yoon Seok-youl's family has gone unpunished, and the dozens of fraud crimes involving false balance certificates of 34.7 billion won from Sinan Savings Bank and another 10 billion won, as well as the fraud crimes of mother-in-law Choi Eun-soon, have been concealed and left unpunished due to abuse of power."

They continued, "The investigation into the Cho family is a retaliatory investigation by Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who harbors resentment against prosecutorial reform, and is a very unfair and unjust forced prosecution and retaliatory disposition," adding, "This is a case of looking out for colleagues while watching the Prosecutor General's mood."

The petitioner claimed, "(The prosecution) initiated an investigation on the charge of private equity fund crimes to stir public opinion, and after conducting searches at 100 locations without finding any criminal charges, they forcibly prosecuted (former Professor Jeong) with a retaliatory false accusation related to a volunteer activity certificate," and argued, "The four-year prison sentence is a very unfair and biased disposition resulting from the prosecution's abuse of the right to prosecute."

They then requested, "We ask President Moon Jae-in to grant a final special pardon during his remaining term for Professor Jeong Gyeong-sim, who is serving time due to the prosecution's retaliatory, unfair, and unjust disposition," and added, "(The pardon of former Professor Jeong) aligns with the People Power Party's intention for national unity. We want national unity through a special pardon."

A special pardon refers to the president exempting the execution of a sentence for a specific individual whose sentence has been finalized. Accordingly, if the last special pardon of the Moon Jae-in administration is decided, it is likely to take place on Buddha’s Birthday (May 8), one day before the end of his term.

Meanwhile, former Professor Jeong was sentenced to four years in prison by the Supreme Court last January after being found guilty of obstruction of business, violations of the Capital Markets Act and the Real Name Financial Transactions Act, fraud, violation of the Subsidy Management Act, and instructing evidence destruction and concealment.