'Speculation on General Election Candidacy' Cho Kuk Visits Pyeongsan Bookstore, Says "I Will Walk the Roadless Road"

"The Time of Endless Hell, Reflecting on Mistakes and Faults and Enduring"

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk visited Yangsan, Gyeongnam on the 10th to meet former President Moon Jae-in and also took on the role of a bookstore keeper at Pyeongsan Bookstore.

After visiting Pyeongsan Bookstore, Cho posted on his SNS late at night, "Today, I visited President Moon Jae-in after a long time, briefly served as a bookstore keeper at Pyeongsan Bookstore, shared some distilled liquor, and then returned home," sharing seven related photos.

[Photo by Cho Kuk, former Minister of Justice, Facebook]

Until now, former Minister Cho and former President Moon had avoided public meetings, mindful of public opinion following the so-called Cho Kuk incident. This led some to interpret that Cho might have somewhat solidified his decision to run in the 22nd general election.

On that day, dressed in a suit, Cho Kuk visited Pyeongsan Bookstore, wore a bookstore keeper's apron, stood side by side next to former President Moon, and handled the payment for books chosen by customers. He also took commemorative photos with customers purchasing books. Shin Han-gyun, a potter residing in Pyeongsan Village, was also present.

Cho Kuk toured the area around former President Moon’s residence in Yangsan, Gyeongnam together with him, and released photos including one where they drank 'Daehanminguk Daetnip Sul' (Korea President and First Lady Moon Jae-in and Kim Jung-sook’s Bamboo Leaf Liquor) in front of sashimi.

[Photo by Hwang Hyunseon, CEO of The Jeonju Forum, Facebook]

Cho Kuk began by saying, "As a university professor, I supported candidate Moon Jae-in in the 2012 presidential election, and on June 10, 2015, I was appointed as an innovation committee member of the New Politics Alliance, assisting then-leader Moon Jae-in with party reform efforts."

He continued, "After the Moon Jae-in government was launched on May 10, 2017, I worked as the Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs, carrying out reform tasks for power institutions such as the National Intelligence Service, prosecution, police, and the Defense Security Command. Though it was a demanding job, it was a happy time."

He then mentioned the so-called Cho Kuk incident, saying, "On August 9, 2019, I was assigned the task of prosecutorial reform and nominated as Minister of Justice, but an ordeal akin to an unending hell (Mugan Jiok) befell me and my family, which is still ongoing."

Reflecting on his "mistakes and faults with self-reflection and self-reproach, enduring and bearing hardships," Cho stated, "In a time of regression and retrogression where everything about the Moon Jae-in government is denied and disparaged, I am contemplating what must be done and will walk a 'pathless path' without guidance or compass."

On that day, Cho Kuk stayed at Pyeongsan Bookstore for about an hour and a half, spending most of the time taking photos with customers.

[Photo by Jo Guk, former Minister's Facebook]

Hwang Hyun-seon, former senior administrative officer of the Blue House Civil Affairs Office who accompanied Cho Kuk, wrote on his Facebook, "Today is the anniversary of the June 10th Democracy Movement, but I have another memory. June 10, 2015, was the day the Democratic Party Innovation Committee was formed," adding, "The road to Yangsan feels both heavy and exciting. I will bring back the spirit of innovation."

He also said, "Seeing the two share a glass of soju after finishing their bookstore duties was bittersweet. Many stories and regrets were contained in the silence."

Meanwhile, former President Moon Jae-in mentioned Cho Kuk during a New Year's press conference in January 2020, stating, "Regardless of the investigation or trial results, I believe I owe a great debt of gratitude in my heart just for the hardships Cho Kuk has endured so far."