Sharing Daily Life on Social Media Right After Release
"Time with Family, What I Wanted Most"
Cho Kuk, former leader of the National Innovation Party, was released early in the morning on the 15th through a special pardon for Liberation Day. After his release, he resumed his social media activities and shared moments from his daily life with his family.
Former leader of the National Innovation Party, Cho Kuk, who was released on the 15th through a special pardon for Liberation Day, has resumed his social media activities. Cho Kuk SNS
That evening, Cho posted a short video on his Facebook page showing a stew boiling on an induction cooktop, simply captioned "family meal." This post appears to have been made after his first meal out with his family, including former professor Chung Kyungshim.
In his recently published prison memoir, "Cho Kuk's Study," released last month, Cho had listed having a meal with his family, taking a hot bath, and sharing a drink with friends and comrades as the things he most wanted to do upon release. This aligns with the content of his recent social media post, drawing public attention.
Cho was released after 242 days in detention. He had been sentenced to two years in prison on charges including academic admissions fraud involving his children and interfering with a Blue House audit, and was incarcerated in December of last year. He was originally scheduled for release in December of next year, but the special pardon has exempted him from serving the remainder of his sentence and restored his eligibility for political activity. His right to run for office, which had been restricted for five years after the completion of his sentence, has also been reinstated.
Immediately after his release, Cho stated, "Today's pardon, reinstatement, and release will be recorded as a symbolic moment marking the end of the prosecution's dictatorship, which has long abused its authority." He then reportedly rested briefly at home. He is expected to soon begin a tour of locations such as Bongha Village and Pyeongsan Village.
Former leader Cho Kuk of the National Innovation Party was released on the 15th under the special pardon and reinstatement measures for Liberation Day, leaving the Nambu Detention Center in Guro-gu, Seoul, and embracing Kim Sunmin, the acting party leader. Photo by Yonhap News
Public Opinion on the Pardon Remains Divided... The Center Remains Critical
Public opinion was split over the pardon. According to a survey conducted by Gallup Korea of 1,007 adults nationwide from the 12th to the 14th, 43% were in favor while 48% were opposed. By age group, those in their 40s (58%) and 50s (59%) were more likely to support the pardon, while opposition was higher among those aged 18-29 (50%), those in their 60s (54%), and those aged 70 and older (56%).
In terms of political affiliation, support for the pardon was higher among supporters of President Lee Jaemyung, while opposition was predominant among supporters of the People Power Party, centrists, and those without party affiliation. Notably, among respondents who evaluated President Lee's administration negatively, opposition to the pardon reached as high as 93%. Opposition was also higher than support among centrists (50%) and the unaffiliated (63%).
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