Prosecutors Request Court to Decide on Issuance of Additional Arrest Warrant for Jeong Gyeong-sim

Jung Kyung-shim, wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and a professor at Dongyang University, is leaving the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, after completing the pre-arrest detention hearing on the 23rd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] As the detention period of Professor Jeong Gyeong-shim of Dongyang University approaches its expiration, the prosecution has requested the court to decide whether to issue an additional arrest warrant.

According to the legal community on the 28th, the prosecution submitted a written opinion to the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25-2 (Presiding Judges Im Jeong-yeop, Kwon Seong-su, Kim Seon-hee) yesterday, stating that the court should review whether to issue an additional arrest warrant for Professor Jeong. Professor Jeong's detention period lasts until the 10th of next month.

The prosecution has opposed her release, citing concerns that if Professor Jeong is released, she might intimidate or pressure related parties to destroy evidence. In fact, even after the expiration of Professor Jeong's detention period, witness examinations of key figures related to the admission corruption allegations, including Professor Han In-seop of Seoul National University and officials from Seoul National University and Pusan National University Medical Schools, are scheduled.

The decision on the defendant's custody is made by the court handling the case. Accordingly, Professor Jeong's trial panel is expected to review the prosecution's opinion and decide whether to separately hold a hearing on the issuance of an additional arrest warrant.

If an additional arrest warrant hearing is held, it is expected to cover charges not included in Professor Jeong's current arrest warrant, such as false receipt of subsidies and nominee stock trading added at the indictment stage, as well as charges of instructing evidence destruction.

Earlier, in March, the trial panel rejected Professor Jeong's bail request on the grounds of "concerns about evidence destruction." However, at that time, the panel stated, "Although there is no risk of flight, detention is necessary at this point as witness examinations related to the charges have not been conducted," and urged not to overinterpret this decision against Professor Jeong.

Since then, the trial panel has conducted witness examinations of eight individuals, including former Dongyang University President Choi Seong-hae.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.