Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk received a two-year prison sentence in his second trial, following the first. The court did not reduce his sentence, saying, “The defendant neither acknowledged his crimes nor showed remorse.” Cho did not apologize even after the verdict. Instead, he said, “I will endlessly apologize by contributing my strength to correct the wrongdoings of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.”
Rather than apologizing, Cho declared through a statement his intention to embark on a new path with a fearful heart, essentially announcing his candidacy for the general election. It is clear to everyone that, despite packaging his candidacy with fancy words, Cho’s ultimate goal is to be elected as a member of the National Assembly and receive political immunity. If elected and joining the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, he could potentially influence his ongoing trial.
Cho utilized a forged Seoul National University internship certificate for his son’s university application and took an online exam on behalf of his son, who was attending a foreign university. He also submitted a fake internship confirmation letter and a counterfeit award certificate from Dongyang University for his daughter’s medical school application. While serving as the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, he was accused of squelching a special inspection by Cheong Wa Dae on former Busan Vice Mayor Yoo Jae-soo following political requests. These charges were found guilty in both the first and second trials.
Cho became a prominent figure through his positive messages on social media during his academic career. However, his vetting process for the Minister of Justice position revealed numerous instances of hypocrisy, causing public dismay. The allegations against Cho had already begun to surface before his appointment as Minister of Justice, yet former President Moon Jae-in appointed him, leading to national conflict. For this alone, Cho owes the public an apology. Instead, he declared his candidacy on the day he was sentenced to prison.
Among the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) members, a formula seems to have been established: if one cannot hide their corruption, they run for election to gain immunity. Former DPK leader Song Young-gil, arrested in the “National Assembly cash envelope” incident, created a satellite party aimed at disbanding the politically-driven prosecution while in prison. Hwang Un-ha, a DPK lawmaker sentenced to disqualify his election in the first trial for intervening in the Ulsan mayoral election, will also run in the upcoming general election. DPK leader Lee Jae-myung, facing charges related to the Daejang-dong case and illegal North Korean remittances by the Ssangbangwool Group, utilized his immunity from arrest by running for a parliamentary seat immediately after losing the presidential election. It was Lee who created a satellite party, paving the way for individuals like Cho Kuk to become members of the National Assembly. Ultimately, only the citizens can break this vicious cycle of impunity.
This article was originally published on Feb. 9, 2024.
