'Yoo Jae-su Inspection Cover-up' Baek Won-woo Imprisoned in Nambu Correctional Institution
The prosecution approved the request for postponement of sentence execution filed by former Representative Cho Kuk of the Innovation Party, who was sentenced to two years in prison on the 12th for charges including 'admission fraud involving his children' and 'covering up the Blue House inspection of former Busan Deputy Mayor Yoo Jae-soo.'
According to the legal community on the 13th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office reviewed Cho's request to postpone his appearance and decided to approve it, notifying him to report to Seoul Detention Center on the 16th. Earlier, the prosecution had notified Cho to appear at the prosecutors' office on that day.
It is reported that Cho submitted the request for postponement of appearance to the prosecution that morning, judging that he needed time to wrap up surrounding matters such as handing over the party leadership and attending the party executive committee.
On the same day, the Central Election Commission decided to transfer the proportional representation seat lost by Cho to Professor Baek Sun-hee of the Department of Social Welfare at Seoul Theological University, who is next in line (number 13) on the Innovation Party's proportional representation list. Thanks to the commission's swift decision, Professor Baek will be able to participate in the vote on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 14th.
After reviewing the submitted application and supporting documents, the prosecution accepted Cho's request for postponement of appearance, considering reasons such as medical treatment and similar past cases comprehensively.
According to the prosecution's guidelines for handling sentence execution, a postponement of appearance can be granted for up to three days in cases requiring urgent treatment to preserve life, death of a family member, or marriage of a direct descendant. In such cases, supporting documents such as medical certificates and treatment plans must be submitted by the subject.
On the previous day, the Supreme Court's Third Division (Presiding Justice Eom Sang-pil) dismissed both Cho's and the prosecution's appeals in the final trial for 12 charges including obstruction of business, violation of the Anti-Graft Act, and abuse of authority, confirming the original sentence of two years in prison. The original ruling sentencing Cho's wife, former Dongyang University Professor Jung Kyung-shim, to one year in prison with two years of probation was also upheld.
Cho was indicted in December 2019 on charges including issuing false internship certificates for his children and fraudulent receipt of scholarships by his daughter Cho Min. He was additionally indicted in January of the following year for covering up the special inspection of former Deputy Mayor Yoo by the Blue House's special inspection team during his tenure as Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs.
The first and second trial courts sentenced Cho to two years in prison. The courts found him guilty of most of the admission fraud charges involving his children and the cover-up of the special inspection. They also ruled that the 6 million won scholarship received by his daughter from former Busan Medical Center Director Noh Hwan-jung was not a bribe but violated the Anti-Graft Act.
Earlier, Cho's side submitted a request to the Supreme Court on the 4th to postpone the sentencing date, citing the need to manage the emergency situation following President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law immediately after its lifting, but the request was denied.
Meanwhile, Baek Won-woo, former Blue House Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, who was indicted alongside former Representative Cho for covering up the inspection of Yoo Jae-soo and received a confirmed sentence of 10 months in prison, was incarcerated at Seoul Southern Detention Center on the same day.
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