'Admission Fraud and Investigation Cover-up' Cho Kuk Sentenced to 2 Years in Second Trial... Avoids Immediate Imprisonment

Guilty of Admission Fraud and Cover-up of Inspection Charges
Jung Kyung-shim's Sentence Reduced to Probation
Cho Kuk: "I Will Not Give Up and Will Take a New Path"

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was prosecuted on charges including admission fraud involving his children and covering up an inspection, was sentenced to imprisonment again in the appellate court. However, the court did not order his immediate detention.

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was sentenced to prison in the first trial on charges including admission fraud involving his children and covering up the Blue House inspection, is leaving the courtroom after the appellate sentencing hearing held at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the 8th. The court sentenced former Minister Cho to two years in prison. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

The Criminal Division 13 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judges Kim Woo-su, Kim Jin-ha, Lee In-su) on the 8th sentenced former Minister Cho, who was indicted on charges of obstruction of business, abuse of authority, and use of false official documents, to two years in prison, the same as the first trial. However, the court did not order his detention, considering that there was little risk of evidence destruction or flight, and to ensure his right to defense.

The court upheld the original ruling that found former Minister Cho guilty of most of the admission fraud charges involving his children and the charge of covering up the inspection by the Blue House’s special inspection team. The court stated, “Former Minister Cho has not admitted his crimes or shown remorse either in the original trial or in this court,” and added, “Apologies or expressions of regret that are not based on acknowledgment of the criminal facts are difficult to be considered sincere remorse under sentencing guidelines, so there is no meaningful change in sentencing conditions up to this court.”

Cho was indicted in December 2019 on charges including issuing false internship certificates for his children and illegal receipt of scholarships by his daughter Cho Min. He was additionally indicted in January of the following year on charges of covering up the inspection of Yoo Jae-soo, former Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs of Busan City, while serving as Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs at the Blue House.

Regarding Jeong Gyeong-sim, former professor at Dongyang University, who was also prosecuted together, the court overturned the original ruling that sentenced her to one year in prison and instead sentenced her to one year in prison with a two-year probation. The court judged, “Her health is very poor due to long-term imprisonment,” and “Considering her remorse and regret related to the admission-related crimes, the sentence imposed by the original court was too harsh and unjust.”

Immediately after the sentencing, former Minister Cho expressed his intention to appeal. He said, “I humbly accept the appellate court’s decision, but I cannot agree with the fact-finding and legal application, so I seek the Supreme Court’s final judgment,” and added, “I will not give up here and will walk a new path.”

Regarding his candidacy for the general election, he said, “There will be a time soon to officially express my position,” and “I will do everything I can before the Supreme Court’s ruling.”