Cho Kuk: "KAIST's Silencing Exit is a Sign of Yoon Administration's Tyranny"

Organization for Party Formation Completed by End of February
Will Go Separately and Together with Minjoo Party

On the 16th, during the KAIST graduation ceremony in Daejeon, a master's graduate shouted, "Restore the R&D budget," at which moment a security guard covered his mouth to stop him. Photo by Daejeon Chungnam Joint Press Corps

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who serves as the head of talent recruitment for the tentatively named ‘Joguk New Party,’ called the ‘mouth-taping incident’ involving KAIST graduates on the 19th “a typical sign of tyranny.”

On the same day, Cho appeared on ‘Kim Eo-jun’s Humility is Difficult’ and said, “I thought it was a so-called mouth-taping regime. I felt personally insulted. It was a sign of tyranny, showing the attitude toward the people.” He strongly criticized the incident on the 16th at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) graduation ceremony, where a KAIST graduate who shouted against the R&D (Research and Development) budget cuts was forcibly removed by the Presidential Security Service staff, with their mouth taped and limbs lifted.

Cho especially said, “President Moon Jae-in’s security philosophy was ‘open security,’ and it was important to listen well to the citizens. President Obama was the same, and there is a standard protocol in typical democratic countries, but (they ignored it and) showed a symbol of tyranny.”

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@

While touring the country to prepare for the party’s founding, he said, “I meet people who have never joined a political party before,” adding, “Many people who are not politically highly engaged approached me first to offer comfort, encouragement, and expressed their intention to join.” Cho said, “Although there may be some overlap with the Democratic Party and some supporters, the majority were people who felt sympathy for Cho Kuk and his family, and many felt a sense of solidarity with the tyranny of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration.”

Regarding the party’s preparation, Cho said, “The heads of provincial party branches have been decided, and at the current pace, I think it will be possible to establish a central party for member recruitment by the end of February.” He added, “I believe there needs to be a political force that moves faster and more progressively. If the Democratic Party goes its own way and I go my own way, I think it can actually help the broader progressive and opposition camp. Going separately but together comes first.”