Prosecutors Submit Opinion Stating "Dongyang University PC Should Be Admitted as Evidence in Cho Kuk Trial"

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk / Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Following the Supreme Court's final guilty verdict against Jeong Gyeongshim, former professor at Dongyang University and wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, the prosecution submitted a brief stating that the evidentiary validity of the Dongyang University lecturer lounge PC should be recognized in Cho's trial, where he faces charges including 'children's admission fraud.'

According to the legal community on the 7th, the prosecution submitted a 'supplementary opinion on the disqualification request' on the 4th to the Criminal Division 25-1 (Presiding Judges Kwon Seongsu, Park Jeongje, Park Sarang), which is currently reviewing the request to disqualify the trial panel. A prosecution official stated, "This opinion aligns with the Supreme Court's judgment, asserting that the evidentiary validity of the lecturer lounge PC should be recognized."

Previously, the first trial court for former Minister Cho, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 21-1 (Presiding Judges Ma Seongyeong, Kim Sangyeon, Jang Yongbeom), ruled on December 24 last year during a hearing that the prosecution's seizure of the PC without guaranteeing former professor Jeong's right to participate could not be recognized as valid evidence. This was based on a ruling by the Supreme Court's full bench in November last year. At that time, the Supreme Court full bench ruled that in a case where a victim of illegal filming possessed two mobile phones of the perpetrator and submitted them to the police, "the seizure of voluntarily submitted items without guaranteeing the party's participation is illegal," and thus did not recognize the evidence's validity.

Subsequently, on the 14th of last month, the prosecution filed a request to disqualify the trial panel, claiming that "the court is reaching a biased conclusion against the defendant and proceeding with the trial based on it." Meanwhile, on the 27th of last month, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court's ruling recognizing the evidentiary validity of the lecturer lounge PC and confirmed a four-year prison sentence for former professor Jeong.

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