Cho Kuk, the representative of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, has been sentenced to two years in prison for charges related to college admission fraud for his children. This final ruling comes around five years after what is known as the “Cho Kuk Incident” began in August 2019, which led to severe divisions within South Korean society. As a result of the conviction, Cho has lost his parliamentary seat and is expected to be detained soon after settling his affairs. Additionally, he will be barred from running for election for five years, making it impossible for him to participate in the next presidential race.
On December 12, the Supreme Court’s third division upheld the previous sentence of two years in prison for Cho. He has never been detained during the investigation and trial phases, so the full two-year prison term remains effective. The prosecution announced they will proceed with executing the sentence according to standard procedures for defendants who were not detained during their trial. Typically, the prosecution issues a summons once a prison sentence is confirmed, and the defendant is required to appear at the relevant prosecutor’s office the next business day. However, defendants may request a delay in reporting.
Most of the charges against Cho, including the academic fraud involving his son and interfering with a Blue House special inspection team, were confirmed as guilty. Jung Kyung-shim, a former professor at Dongyang University, was also sentenced to a year in prison with two years of probation for her involvement in Cho’s son’s admission fraud. She had previously been sentenced to four years for a similar charge related to their daughter and was released on parole in September 2023.
Additionally, former Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Kang-wook was fined 800,000 won for making false statements in relation to issuing a fake internship certificate for Cho’s son. During the 2020 general election campaign, Choi claimed on an internet broadcast that Cho’s son had actually completed the internship.
The case revealed that all seven extracurricular achievements listed on Cho’s daughter Jo Min’s university applications were fabricated, according to court rulings against those involved. Jo Min was initially fined 10 million won for charges including obstruction of business; both the prosecution and Jo have appealed, and the appeals trial is currently ongoing.
Cho’s trial itself was a notable case of delay, lasting over three years for just the first trial. Although the second trial also sentenced him to two years, it did not issue a court arrest, citing no flight risk and the need to guarantee Cho’s right to defense. This led to debates over whether there was inconsistency in arrests for individuals with or without vested political powers. Despite these legal proceedings, Cho was able to run for election and was elected as a proportional representative for the Cho Kuk Innovation Party.
Cho was nominated as Minister of Justice in August 2019 during the Moon Jae-in administration. Allegations around Cho’s involvement in his children’s academic and admission fraud emerged when his daughter was found to have claimed a first author position on a medical research paper during high school. This controversy, known as the “Cho Kuk Incident,” sparked intense debates and investigations. As a result of these investigations, Cho was indicted in December 2019.
The Cho Kuk Incident also led to a significant political clash between then-Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol and then-Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae. Yoon eventually resigned from his position and later entered politics, ultimately being elected as the President.