'Admission Scandal' Jo Guk's Daughter Jo Min Indicted... Prosecutors: "Not Just a Passive Beneficiary but Played a Leading Role" (Summary)

Cho Min, the daughter of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, has been brought to trial on charges of admission fraud. Cho was indicted about two weeks before the statute of limitations expired on some of the charges, thus facing legal judgment.

The 5th Trial Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Min-ah) indicted Cho on the 10th without detention on charges of falsifying official documents, obstruction of business, and obstruction of public officials by deception.

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk's daughter, Cho Min [Image source=Yonhap News]

A prosecution official stated, "According to the facts confirmed by the Supreme Court, Cho Min's level of involvement is not light, and she appears to have played a leading role rather than being a mere beneficiary."

He added, "During the prosecution investigation, her statements were inconsistent, and she still denies some of the charges. Since trials of accomplices are partially underway, we believed it was appropriate to receive the Supreme Court's final judgment according to law and principles."

According to the prosecution, Cho, in collusion with her mother, former Dongyang University professor Jeong Gyeong-shim, submitted falsified application forms, self-introduction letters, and forged Dongyang University president's commendations to the admissions office of the Busan National University Graduate School of Medicine on June 10, 2014, thereby obstructing the admissions evaluation process. At that time, Cho passed the final selection after document and interview screenings.

She is also charged with submitting falsified documents, including a self-introduction letter, an internship certificate in the name of the Director of the Public Interest and Human Rights Law Center at Seoul National University Law School, and a Dongyang University president's commendation, to the Seoul National University Graduate School of Medicine on June 17, 2013, in collusion with her parents. Cho passed the first stage of the screening, which was based on document evaluation.

The charges related to the Busan National University Graduate School of Medicine admission were judged guilty in the first trial of former professor Jeong, and Cho's collusion was also recognized. This was upheld in the appellate court and the Supreme Court. The charges related to the Seoul National University Graduate School of Medicine admission were also judged guilty in the first trial of former Minister Cho, recognizing the collusion with Cho Min.

Among these, the statute of limitations (7 years) for the Busan National University Graduate School of Medicine fraudulent application was set to expire on the 26th. Originally, the statute of limitations was to expire on June 10, 2021, but it was suspended for about 2 years and 2 months until January 27 of last year, when the co-defendant, former professor Jeong, was indicted on November 11, 2019, and the guilty verdict was confirmed.

The statute of limitations for the Seoul National University Graduate School of Medicine fraudulent application was suspended due to the ongoing appellate trial of co-defendant former Minister Cho.

When the prosecution was reviewing whether to indict, Cho withdrew lawsuits challenging the cancellation of her admissions to Korea University and Busan National University Graduate School of Medicine. Accordingly, the prosecution summoned her as a suspect on the 14th of last month to confirm her changed stance.

The couple, former Minister Cho and his wife, expressed, "We reflect on our shortcomings and mistakes as parents," but stated that they would clarify the issue of collusion in the admission fraud charges through trial. Former Minister Cho denied the charges through his lawyer at the first appellate trial last month.

However, the prosecution decided not to immediately decide on indicting Cho Won, the son of former Minister Cho, regarding his graduate school admission fraud charges, as the statute of limitations is currently suspended, and will continue the investigation. Cho Won is accused of submitting falsified internship certificates from the Public Interest and Human Rights Law Center at Seoul National University, an internship certificate in the name of Rep. Choe Kang-wook of the Democratic Party, and a scholarship certificate from George Washington University when applying for the integrated master's and doctoral program in political science and diplomacy at Yonsei University in the first semester of 2018. The statute of limitations for Cho Won's charges will be suspended until the charges against former Minister Cho are confirmed. Last month, Cho Won expressed his intention to return his master's degree from Yonsei University Graduate School and was investigated by the prosecution in writing.

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