[Comprehensive] "We Demand the Impeachment of Judge Jeong Gyeong-sim" Petition Uploaded to Blue House

Petitioner: "One Person's Entire Life Completely Denied"

Professor Jeong Gyeong-shim of Dongyang University, who has been indicted on charges including admission fraud involving her children and suspicions of private equity fund investments, is attending the first trial sentencing hearing held on the afternoon of the 23rd at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] On the 23rd, a petition calling for the impeachment of the trial panel was posted on the Blue House's national petition site, just one day after Professor Jeong Gyeong-sim of Dongyang University, wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was indicted on charges including admission fraud involving her children, was sentenced to four years in prison and detained in court in the first trial. This is interpreted as meaning that the trial panel's decision was unfair and that there are problems with the entire first trial panel.

In a petition titled "We demand the impeachment of the first trial panel (Im Jeong-yeop, Kwon Seong-su, Kim Seon-hee) of Jeong Gyeong-sim," the petitioner explained the background of the petition, saying, "Although this petition should be made by the legislative branch representing the people, not by the Blue House and the executive branch who do not have direct authority, the Blue House and government also share responsibility for the important task of 'judicial reform,' so I am posting this petition."

The petitioner criticized the trial panel, saying, "From the beginning, the prosecution conducted forced and separate investigations into everything related to former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and his family for political purposes, scrutinizing all documents related to the children's admissions, and the three judges accepted all the prosecution's claims that all documents submitted during the admission process were forged."

The petitioner emphasized, "As a result of today's verdict, a person's entire life has been completely denied. This is not a case of drug trafficking or drunk driving with driver substitution, yet the judiciary, which is lenient in such cases, judged that all admission documents were forged, denying a person's entire life. I want to ask the trial panel whether this judgment was truly made according to the conscience enshrined in the Constitution."

Photo by Cheong Wa Dae Petition Board Capture

Furthermore, the petitioner urged, "Please legislate to change the appointment of Supreme Court justices from appointed positions to elected positions to achieve 'judicial democracy.'" As of 7:30 a.m. on the 23rd, this petition had garnered 58,871 supporters.

On the 23rd, the Criminal Division 25-2 of the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Professor Jeong Gyeong-sim of Dongyang University, wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was indicted on charges including admission fraud involving her children and private equity fund investment, to four years in prison and fined 500 million won, and detained her in court.

The trial panel pointed out that the charges against Professor Jeong could provoke strong social condemnation. The panel stated, "Considering the bold methods of the crime, the nature of the crime is very bad," and "It caused negative consequences that betray the trust and expectations our society had in the admissions system, so the possibility of condemnation is very high."

It also pointed out, "Despite having a legal obligation to faithfully report assets under the Public Officials Ethics Act, she borrowed others' accounts to increase her and her family's assets, used undisclosed information, and concealed criminal proceeds," calling it "a serious crime that disrupts market order."

The trial panel acknowledged all charges of admission fraud against Professor Jeong but acquitted her of some charges related to private equity fund suspicions and evidence tampering.

The panel stated, "All certificates, including those for experiential activities at Dankook University Medical Science Research Institute, are false," and "The defendant actively participated in submitting self-introduction letters and certificates of commendation to medical graduate schools, and all charges related to admission fraud are guilty."

Regarding the forgery of certificates of commendation, the panel found that "the fact of forgery is sufficiently recognized." The claim that Professor Jeong could not have forged them because she did not know how to use a computer was not accepted.

Jung Kyung-shim, wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who has been indicted on charges including school admission fraud for her children and private equity fund investment suspicions, is responding to reporters' questions as she attends the first trial sentencing hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 23rd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the private equity fund suspicions and evidence tampering charges, some charges were acquitted. Professor Jeong is accused of investing 1 billion won in Cho Beom-dong, a fifth cousin of former Minister Cho Kuk, and embezzling approximately 157 million won of Coringk PE funds under the pretext of profit.

She was also charged with making an additional payment of 1.4 billion won to the Blue Fund managed by Coringk PE and submitting false reports to financial authorities, pretending the investment capital was about 10 billion won.

The trial panel acquitted her of the false reporting of Blue Fund investment capital. The panel stated, "The 1 billion won received by Cho from the defendant was all investment money," but "it is difficult to see that she orchestrated or urged the embezzlement of Coringk PE funds."

The panel viewed the evidence tampering charges differently. The allegation that Professor Jeong instructed Coringk PE employees to forge fund operation reports was judged as "not proven beyond a reasonable doubt." The part about instructing asset manager Kim Kyung-rok to hide materials from Dongyang University office where she worked was ruled as "not punishable as evidence concealment inducement."

Meanwhile, Professor Jeong's legal team immediately expressed their intention to appeal. Her side stated, "We are quite disappointed that many efforts to prove our case during the trial were not reflected at all, and rather, all charges were recognized as guilty exactly according to the prosecution's logic."

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