Jo Jung-hoon Questions Cho Min's Admission Cancellation at Pusan National University Audit
Pusan National University President: "There Were Other False Entries Besides the Certificate"
The issue of the cancellation of Cho Min's admission to the Pusan National University Graduate School of Medicine, the daughter of Cho Kuk, Emergency Committee Chairman of the National Innovation Party, was once again raised as a point of contention during the National Assembly audit.
At the National Assembly Education Committee's audit of Pusan National University held at the Gyeongnam Office of Education on the 23rd, Jo Jung-hoon, a member of the People Power Party, asked Choi Jaewon, President of Pusan National University, "One of the reasons for Cho Min's admission cancellation from the Graduate School of Medicine was the alleged forgery of a certificate of commendation. If it turns out that the forgery is not true, can the cancellation of her admission also be reversed?"
Previously, in April 2022, Pusan National University decided to cancel Cho Min's admission, stating that she had submitted false documents when applying to the Graduate School of Medicine. However, recently, Jeong Kyung-shim, former professor at Dongyang University and wife of Chairman Cho, filed charges against Choi Sunghae, former president of Dongyang University, and others for evidence destruction and perjury, after they claimed that her daughter's certificate of commendation was fake. As a result, whether the decision to cancel her admission would change depending on the authenticity of the certificate has become a key issue.
In response, President Choi stated, "Hypothetically speaking, the reason for the admission cancellation at the time was not only the certificate of commendation from the president of Dongyang University, but also the fact that other career details listed in the application and personal statement were found to be false. The admissions guidelines at the time clearly stated that submitting false documents would result in admission cancellation. Personally, I believe that even if just one document is false, the cancellation should stand."
Assemblyman Jo pointed out that there was confusion regarding Cho Min's admission ranking during the cancellation process, and also asked President Choi for his opinion on comments made by the former president, Cha Jung-in, who is now Chairperson of the National Education Commission. At the time, after the decision to cancel Cho's admission, former President Cha sparked controversy by saying, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."
President Choi responded, "It is not appropriate to comment on the personal remarks of my predecessor," and added, "I believe universities are places that teach and uphold the values of lawfulness, fairness, and honesty," thus avoiding a direct answer.
Assemblyman Jo then argued, "Because of Cho Min's admission, at least one person missed the opportunity to train and be educated to become a doctor at Pusan National University Graduate School of Medicine. I believe saying 'I'm sorry I couldn't protect that student' would be the right thing to do."
In response, Kang Kyungsook, a member of the National Innovation Party, refuted Jo's claim, stating it was not factual. Assemblywoman Kang said, "According to Pusan National University's records, there was no other applicant who was rejected because of Cho Min. The claim that one student unfairly failed due to Cho Min does not hold."
Assemblywoman Kang also expressed regret that the Dongyang University certificate of commendation case continues to be used as a media topic even after several years. She pointed out that there have been no investigations or audits into allegations involving the children of former People Power Party leader Han Donghoon and former Prosecutor General Sim Woojeong, and said that, considering those hurt by the admissions process, she has refrained from criticism.
In response, Assemblyman Jo Jung-hoon said, "Regardless of political affiliation or faction, anyone who illegally grants special favors to their children in the admissions process should be opposed. This principle should be applied impartially, regardless of party."
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