Testimony: "No high school student interned, including Cho Kuk's son"... Cho Kuk: "Didn't you talk with my son?"

Testimony of Former Secretary General of Seoul National University Human Rights Law Center
Cho Kuk "Son spoke with witness after visiting center"

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk is attending the trial related to 'child admission bribery' held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong on the 13th. 2021.8.13 / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Yeeun] The former secretary-general of the Seoul National University Public Interest Human Rights Law Center appeared as a witness in the trial of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and his wife, who are suspected of 'admission fraud,' and testified that "there was no fact that high school students, including Cho's son, interned or frequented the center."

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25-1 (Presiding Judges Ma Sung-young, Kim Sang-yeon, Jang Yong-beom) held a trial on the 13th for former Minister Cho and Professor Jeong Gyeong-sim of Dongyang University, who were indicted on charges including obstruction of business, bribery, violation of the Public Officials Ethics Act, and evidence fabrication inducement, and conducted witness examination of Professor Noh, who was the secretary-general of the Human Rights Law Center at the time of the incident.

On this day, the trial focused on the allegation that Cho's son, Mr. Cho, did not actually intern at the Seoul National University Public Interest Human Rights Law Center but had forged documents to obtain certificates of scheduled internship and internship activity. This trial is separate from the appellate court that sentenced Professor Jeong guilty on the 11th.

Professor Jeong, who is in custody, stood alongside former Minister Cho in court on the 13th.

The 'certificate of scheduled internship' stated that Mr. Cho was scheduled to engage in activities such as investigating human rights data related to school violence victims and writing papers at the Seoul National University Public Interest Human Rights Law Center for one month starting July 15, 2013. The 'internship certificate' contained content confirming actual internship activities.

Previously, during the prosecution investigation, Mr. Cho testified that he requested the issuance of the scheduled internship certificate and that someone with the surname Noh seemed to have approved it. He also explained that while interning, he visited the center, translated and collected materials, and submitted them to a person with the surname Noh.

However, the prosecution believes that in 2013, when Mr. Cho was a high school student, former Minister Cho asked Han In-seop, then director of the Seoul National University Public Interest Human Rights Law Center, to issue a false scheduled internship certificate so that Mr. Cho could skip school classes for the purpose of studying abroad. Furthermore, it is claimed that former Minister Cho used the scheduled internship certificate in 2017 to create a false internship certificate and used it for his son's graduate school admission.

Professor Han In-seop, Seoul National University School of Law. Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Professor Noh, the former secretary-general of the Seoul National University Public Interest Human Rights Law Center, appeared as a witness on the 13th and testified, "Under the direction of Han In-seop, then director of the Human Rights Law Center, a 'certificate of scheduled internship activity' that did not previously exist was issued in Mr. Cho's name and delivered to a female student," adding, "From 2011 to 2015, no high school students interned, and I do not even know who Mr. Cho is."

When asked by the prosecutor whether he had conducted an internship interview with Mr. Cho or instructed weekly internship activities, he answered, "No." This testimony directly contradicts Mr. Cho's statement during the prosecution investigation that he had an interview with Mr. Noh and was instructed on internship activities.

Professor Noh added, "If Professor Han In-seop had asked me to supervise a high school student's thesis on school violence, I would certainly remember it," and explained, "It is unusual to be asked to supervise something outside my research field."

In response, former Minister Cho rebutted, "My son had a conversation with the witness (Professor Noh) in July 2013, and at that time, the witness mentioned the word 'capoeira' saying he was going to Brazil."

Professor Noh drew a line, saying, "It is well known on campus that I learn capoeira, and I have never had such a conversation with a high school student," adding, "People around me found it unusual that I went all the way to Brazil to learn the sport, so such stories might have circulated."

As testimony that former Minister Cho's son did not intern at the Human Rights Law Center emerges again, attention is focused on whether the admission fraud allegations involving the son, following those involving the daughter, will also be recognized as false.

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