Cho Kuk's Asset Manager "Prosecutors Said They Would Seek Arrest Warrant If No Cooperation"... Verbal Clash with Prosecutors

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Kim Kyung-rok, the asset manager of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk's family, testified in court that he was told by a prosecutor, "If you do not cooperate, we will request an arrest warrant."

On the 17th, Kim appeared as a witness at the trial of former Minister Cho and former Dongyang University professor Jung Kyung-shim, held at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 21-1 (Presiding Judges Ma Seong-young, Kim Jeong-gon, Jang Yong-beom), and made statements to this effect.

When the prosecution asked Kim, "Did you not say that you decided to voluntarily submit the hidden hard disk after consulting with your lawyer, believing that the prosecution would clarify the suspicions against defendant Jung Kyung-shim if you submitted the hard disk?" Kim replied, "I submitted it because I was afraid of being arrested and detained."

Kim continued, "During the first investigation, the prosecutor told me, 'There is evidence that the hard disk was separated from the PC. If you do not cooperate with the investigation, we will issue an arrest warrant, so go out and talk to your lawyer,'" and explained, "I consulted with my lawyer in the lounge for 30 minutes." He also added, "My lawyer said, 'If you don't tell the truth properly, you will be arrested,' so I told the prosecutor that I was keeping the hard disk."

The prosecution responded, "That's absurd," and asked, "Are you saying that I told the witness that an arrest warrant would be issued?" Kim answered, "Yes," and countered, "If that was not said, then why would I be told to go out and talk to my lawyer?"

However, Kim soon changed his statement. When the prosecution asked again, "Are you saying that the prosecutor said he would request an arrest warrant?" Kim replied, "He did not directly tell me what he would do."

Kim further explained, "Interestingly, on that day, I was not allowed into the interrogation room and talked with my lawyer, and later my lawyer told me, 'The arrest warrant is on the prosecutor's desk. Go to the lounge and have a talk,'” he said.

The prosecution pressed, "Are you saying that it was not me who said it, but your lawyer?" Kim retorted, "I don't see the difference between what I heard directly and what was conveyed by my lawyer," and the argument continued.

Kim was indicted in August 2019 on charges of hiding three hard disks from Professor Jung's home PC and one from the professor's office PC (evidence concealment) and received a confirmed sentence of eight months in prison with a two-year probation.

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