Cho Kuk: "I am looking for the reporter who rang my daughter's doorbell... I trust a swift and strict investigation"

by Lim Juhyeong

Published 10 Aug.2020 16:53(KST)

"My Daughter Reported to the Police... Accused of Trespassing and Assault Causing Injury"

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Jo Mo, the daughter of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, filed a police complaint against two reporters who repeatedly pressed the doorbell and knocked on the door of the officetel where she lives, on charges of trespassing and assault causing injury.

On the 10th, former Minister Cho posted on his Facebook, "Last September, two reporters passed through the security door on the first floor of the officetel where my daughter lives without permission, repeatedly pressed the doorbell of my daughter's residence, knocked on the door, and demanded to be let in. After posting the video of this, many people provided the identity of one of them."

He continued, "One of them was clearly Reporter X from a certain cable TV channel, just by visual confirmation," adding, "Since the investigative agency has not yet finalized the identity, I refer to him as Reporter X."

He further explained, "My daughter filed a police complaint against Reporter X and an unidentified reporter for trespassing under Article 319 of the Criminal Act and assault causing injury under Article 262," and "Along with the complaint, evidence such as footage of Reporter X taken by my daughter in the parking lot, and photos of my daughter's leg injuries caused by Reporter X pushing the car door were submitted."

Last September, reporters from a general programming channel visited and waited in front of the house of Cho Mo, the daughter of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk. / Photo by Cho Kuk Facebook capture

Former Minister Cho emphasized, "It is clear that freedom of the press does not include trespassing or assault causing injury," and "I believe the investigative agency will conduct a swift and strict investigation without yielding to the 'socially powerful' media companies."

He lamented, "Is there no limit to freedom of the press? Does this kind of reporting behavior fall under freedom of the press?" and "I want to hear the answers from the two reporters in the video."

Meanwhile, on the 7th, former Minister Cho had previously posted on Facebook a video titled 'A question to journalists' showing a reporter attempting to cover the story by pressing the doorbell at Jo's residence last September.