Jokuk, Loudly Responds to Prosecutors' 'Contradictory Testimony' Accusation: "Why Is It Contradictory?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jung] Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk denied allegations of covering up the inspection related to former Busan Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs Yoo Jae-soo on the 3rd, stating that the inspection case was a very minor matter and was not discussed in depth.

At the trial held that day at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 21 (Presiding Judge Kim Mi-ri), Cho engaged in a sharp exchange with the prosecution while being questioned as a witness regarding co-defendants former Blue House Civil Affairs Secretary Baek Won-woo and former Blue House Anti-Corruption Secretary Park Hyung-chul.

Cho testified that the Blue House Special Inspection Team received reports that a so-called "rescue campaign" was underway by former officials of the previous administration when they inspected Yoo, who was the Director of the Policy Bureau at the Financial Services Commission at the end of 2017.

He also stated that former Secretary Park Hyung-chul reported to him that there was pressure from ruling party figures during the inspection of former Deputy Mayor Yoo, and that he instructed former Secretary Baek Won-woo to "find out exactly what the situation was."

However, when asked who the former administration officials requesting Yoo’s rescue were, he replied, "(Former Secretary Baek) did not tell me."

When the prosecution asked why he did not confirm the identity of the person requesting the rescue, Cho said, "You are now asking questions under a microscope, but the Yoo Jae-soo case was an incident that accounted for one-hundredth or less of the focus at the time, so it was not a matter to be concentrated on."

He added, "I was receiving reports and giving instructions on numerous matters, and I was reporting to the President on personal duties and reform plans for the police, prosecution, and National Intelligence Service, so I could not discuss Yoo Jae-soo’s case in depth."

When the prosecution pointed out that his claim that the Yoo case was of minor importance and his testimony that a rescue campaign was underway leading him to order an investigation from former Secretary Baek were contradictory, Cho loudly retorted, "Why is that a contradiction?"

The prosecution applied charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights, believing that Cho had improperly halted the inspection of former Deputy Mayor Yoo, but Cho has denied the charges.

Regarding the reason for concluding the inspection by accepting Yoo’s resignation at the time, Cho explained, "There was a political judgment." He added, "It was not a decision made considering the rescue campaign," but also said, "I regret that if a stronger measure had been chosen, this incident itself might not have happened."

Previously, unlike when he appeared as a witness at the trial of his spouse, Professor Jeong Gyeong-sim of Dongyang University, and exercised his right to refuse to testify, Cho answered all questions on this day.

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