Jomin States, "I Attended the 2009 Seoul National University Seminar from the Beginning"

Former Seoul National University Official Testifies in Trial on Jeong Gyeong-shim's Perjury Case

Cho Min, the daughter of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, testified in court that she "attended the seminar held by the Seoul National University Public Interest and Human Rights Law Center in 2009 from the beginning."

On the 14th, Cho appeared as a witness at the trial of Kim Mo, the former secretary-general of the Seoul National University Public Interest and Human Rights Law Center, on perjury charges, presided over by Judge Kim Taek-hyung of the Criminal Division 9 at the Seoul Central District Court, and made the statement.

Cho Min, daughter of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Kim was indicted on charges of perjury for testifying as a witness in May 2020 at the trial of Jung Kyung-shim, former professor at Dongyang University and spouse of former Minister Cho Kuk, on charges of 'admission fraud involving children,' claiming that "Cho attended the 2009 seminar, and I instructed the students who came with Cho to carry desks and interpret."

The prosecution's position is that Cho did not attend the seminar that day, and even if she did, Kim did not give any instructions to Cho, so Kim testified contrary to his memory.

On that day, Cho repeatedly emphasized, "It was in 2009, so I don't remember the details well, but I am certain that I attended the seminar."

In response, the prosecution warned, "You can be punished for perjury," and questioned her in detail about the circumstances of attendance, the seminar's schedule, and the professors who attended.

Cho did not change her stance, saying, "I attended, so I cannot say I did not." She also recalled that former Minister Cho gave a presentation at the seminar and that she attended a meal afterward. However, she answered "I don't remember" to the prosecutor's questions about whether a foreign professor attended the seminar or who she went with.

During the subsequent cross-examination, Kim's side played a video of the seminar site and asked, "Is the person turning their head in the footage the witness (Cho)?" Cho smiled wryly and replied, "I am sure. Anyone can tell it's me, so it's really absurd to say otherwise."

The prosecution then said, "Since the witness insists it is her, we will end here," and explained, "Regardless of whether Cho attended, the gist of the indictment is that Kim did not remember giving any instructions to Cho on the day of the seminar."

Whether Cho attended the seminar is one of the key issues in the admission fraud case involving former Minister Cho and former Professor Jung's children. The prosecution charged the couple, believing that Cho did not attend the seminar or engage in internship activities but still obtained a 'false internship certificate.'

The first trial court for former Professor Jung ruled that the female student in the seminar video was not Cho and recognized the internship certificate as false. The appellate court acknowledged the certificate's falsity but stated, "Whether the woman in the video is Cho Min does not affect the falsity of the certificate," and did not make a separate judgment. The Supreme Court upheld this ruling.

The first and second trial courts for former Minister Cho also recognized the Seoul National University Public Interest and Human Rights Law Center seminar internship certificate as false evidence.