Trial Resumes for Cho Kuk After Half a Year... Standing Side by Side with Jeong Gyeong-sim in the Defendant's Seat

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The trial of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was indicted on charges including admission fraud involving his children and the cover-up of the investigation into former Busan Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs Yoo Jae-soo, will resume after six months.

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 21-1 (Presiding Judge Seongyoung Ma) will hold a continuation hearing on the morning of the 11th for former Minister Cho, his spouse Professor Kyungshim Jung of Dongyang University, former Blue House secretaries Wonwoo Baek and Hyungcheol Park, and Roh Hwanjoong, director of Busan Medical Center. After concluding the hearing on the cover-up charge, the trial was postponed due to the spread of COVID-19 following a preparatory hearing held in December last year.

From this hearing, the trial will focus on the 'admission fraud charges.' Former Minister Cho, as well as his wife Professor Jung, who was indicted as an accomplice, will both stand in the defendant's seat. Since the composition of the trial panel has changed due to regular court personnel reshuffling and the sick leave of Presiding Judge Miri Kim, the hearing will begin with a procedure to reaffirm opinions on the charges and discuss future trial plans and methods.

The court will first conduct the trial renewal procedure in the morning for former Minister Cho and former secretaries Baek and Park, who were indicted on the cover-up charges, and continue the same procedure in the afternoon for former Minister Cho, Professor Jung, and Professor Roh. However, former Secretary Park may not attend the hearing as he submitted a letter of absence through his attorney on the 7th.

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