In Jeong Gyeong-sim Trial, Prosecution Calls It "A Typical Case of High-Ranking Official's Relative Corruption" vs Defense Says "Originally Good at Stock Investment"

On December 23 last year, Jung Kyung-shim, wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was indicted on charges of admission fraud and private equity fund suspicions, is attending the first trial sentencing hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] On the 24th, during the appeal trial of Professor Jeong Gyeong-sim of Dongyang University, the prosecution and the defense engaged in a sharp dispute over Professor Jeong's private equity fund investment.

The prosecution claimed that Professor Jeong committed corruption by exploiting the position of her husband, former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was the Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs at the Blue House, while the defense argued that Professor Jeong had been investing in stocks even before Cho Kuk became the Senior Secretary and that she had done quite well.

At the appeal trial held under the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 1-2 (Presiding Judge Eom Sang-pil, Judges Shim Dam and Lee Seung-ryeon), the prosecution stated regarding Professor Jeong's stock and private equity fund-related charges, "The defendant's crime involved abusing public authority as a relative of the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs for private gain, thereby undermining fair competition in our society."

Previously, the first trial recognized Professor Jeong's guilt for profiting from investments based on undisclosed information related to the secondary battery company WFM but acquitted her of other charges such as embezzlement of private equity fund money.

The prosecution also mentioned the LH scandal, saying, "Our society's awareness of unfairness caused by abuse of public authority is clearly revealed in the recent LH scandal. This is an absolutely intolerable act of corruption."

They continued, "This case has the typical structure of corruption involving relatives of the highest-ranking officials," and emphasized again, "It is necessary to punish severely to reestablish the broken standards of fairness in our society."

On the other hand, Professor Jeong's defense attorney rebutted, "The prosecution's continuous linking of Cho Kuk and the defendant in the private equity fund issue is quite problematic," and added, "It is not true to say as if the husband committed these acts after entering public office."

He further stated, "If the defendant had not invested in stocks before and suddenly started after her husband became the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, the story would be different, but she had been investing in stocks before and, objectively speaking, she did quite well."

Meanwhile, on the same day, Professor Jeong's side requested the court to summon Han In-seop, President of the Korea Institute of Criminology and Justice, as a witness, but the request was denied.

President Han is suspected of being involved in issuing false certificates for the internship activities of the children of former Minister Cho Kuk and his wife at the Seoul National University Public Interest and Human Rights Law Center.

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