Korea University Submits Response to Ministry of Education Regarding Jo Min "Actions After Final Verdict" (Comprehensive)

Korea University "Admissions Data Disposed... Requested Data from Court but Denied"
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On the 27th, when the prosecution began a full-scale investigation into various allegations against Cho Kuk, the Minister of Justice nominee, the press was waiting in front of the Talent Development Office at Korea University in Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Korea University responded to the Ministry of Education's request for future action plans regarding admission fraud involving Cho Min, the daughter of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, stating, "We will take action after the final verdict."

On the 8th, Korea University submitted a response to the Ministry of Education stating, "Since judicial judgment is currently underway, we will proceed with actions according to relevant regulations after the final verdict." Earlier, Pusan National University announced it would form a Fair Management Committee to conduct an internal fact-finding investigation regarding whether to cancel Cho’s admission, but Korea University maintained its position to take action after the verdict.

Korea University stated, "According to the Academic Operation Regulations and the Regulations on University Admission and Management, if a significant defect is found in the application materials submitted for admission screening, the matter is to be handled through the Admission Cancellation Review Committee following established procedures," adding, "According to the guidelines for disposal of admission materials, our university currently does not possess any application materials whose submission has been proven."

Korea University explained, "To secure application materials whose submission has been proven, our university filed a provisional seizure request with the court based on media reports that the prosecution had obtained admission-related materials. However, the request was dismissed on the grounds that the self-introduction letter and the list of submitted documents were not seized by the prosecution from Korea University and therefore could not be provided."

Earlier, on the 25th of last month, the office of Gwak Sang-do, a member of the National Assembly’s Education Committee from the People Power Party, requested the Ministry of Education to review and submit whether cancellation of admission is possible based on the first trial verdict of Professor Jung Kyung-shim, Cho’s mother. A representative from the office explained, "Some of the documents submitted by student Cho Min were recognized as false, and we requested a plan for measures regarding this."

Recently, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye said at a press briefing, "Although we have not conducted a legal review regarding Korea University (admission cancellation), we sent an official letter requesting submission of materials and to respond to the National Assembly." Minister Yoo has repeatedly emphasized that there will be no exceptions regarding admission fraud, stating, "We will do what we must according to law and principles."

Meanwhile, Cho Min enrolled in the Department of Environmental Ecology Engineering at Korea University in 2010 and was admitted through early admission to Pusan National University’s Medical School in 2015. The statute of limitations has passed for the charge of obstruction of admission work involving Cho and her mother at Korea University, so it was not included in the prosecution’s indictment. However, in November 2019, Jung Jin-taek, president of Korea University, stated, "Our position that admission cancellation can proceed through procedures if a significant defect is found has not changed at all."

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