S. Korea to pardon ex-justice minister over academic forgery
SEOUL : South Korea's former justice minister will be pardoned this week after serving less than half of his sentence for academic fraud related to his children's college admissions, authorities announced today.
Once a rising political star, Cho Kuk had been tipped to run for president before an academic admissions scandal engulfed his family and set off protests in 2019.
Both Cho and his wife, Chung Kyung-sim, were eventually convicted and given sentences of two and four years, respectively.
Chun was released on parole in 2023 after serving most of her sentence.
Cho will be released on Friday after eight months in prison.
'We have included 27 key public officials and politicians in the pardons list, taking into account their contributions to the state and the severity of their crimes. Key figures to be pardoned include Cho Kuk,' justice minister Jung Sung-ho said at a press briefing announcing the Liberation Day pardons.
Formerly a high-profile legal academic and aide to ex-president Moon Jae-in, Cho was appointed to lead the justice ministry in 2019.
Shortly after, his family became embroiled in the admissions scandal, and he was accused of forging documents that would give his son and daughter advantages in their college and graduate school admissions.
He was also found guilty of taking an online exam for his son at a US university.
'The nature of his crimes is grave, as he exploited his position as a college professor to obstruct admissions processes over many years,' Seoul's central district court said while sentencing Cho.
The verdict initially did little to slow his rising political star.
His newly founded Rebuilding Korea party capitalised on voters' discontent with the two main political parties to pick up 12 seats – including his own – in last year's elections.
As an MP, Cho was at the forefront of efforts to impeach president Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law declaration, which plunged South Korea into political chaos.
But when the Supreme Court upheld Cho's conviction in December 2024, he was forced to relinquish his seat and present himself to prison.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
13 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
‘Deeply worrying culture': Anwar vows swift action over rise in extreme behaviours
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed deep concern over the rise of extreme behaviours in the country, citing recent violent incidents such as the assault on the son of Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and cases of bullying that have resulted in deaths. 'This culture is deeply worrying. I give my assurance, as stated by the Home Minister and the police, that they will act swiftly, decisively and transparently to take action and put an end to this harmful culture,' he said in the Dewan Rakyat today. Anwar said this before responding to a question from Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) during the Minister's Question Time, who sought clarification on the rationale for the rationalisation of Petronas' asset portfolio and the company's strategies in facing global market uncertainties. Earlier, Muhammad Bakhtiar strongly condemned the attack on the family member of the former economy minister. 'I urge the police and relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice,' he said. Yesterday, Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar confirmed that Rafizi's son was assaulted in an incident at a shopping mall in Putrajaya, believed to have occurred at around 2pm in a passenger pick-up and drop-off area. Rafizi said his son was dragged by a man and injected with a syringe, adding that the attack involved two men on a motorcycle, dressed in black and wearing full-face helmets. — Bernama
Malay Mail
13 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Scam losses hit RM1.12b in six months as authorities tighten crackdown
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Financial losses from online scams amounted to RM1.12 billion between January and June this year. According to a written reply published on the Parliament website, the Home Ministry said that to curb such crimes, the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC), in operation since October 12, 2022, has been strengthened as a one-stop centre and has been operating round the clock since July 1. This allows victims to lodge reports directly via the 997 hotline without having to go to a police station. 'After nearly three years of administrative operation, the Prime Minister, while chairing a special meeting of the National Cyber Security Committee (JKSN), agreed that the NSRC should be placed under the purview of the Home Ministry and led by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM),' the reply stated. The response was to a question from R. Yuneswaran (PH–Segamat), who asked about the total financial losses suffered by Malaysians due to online scams up to July this year. The ministry added that other measures to curb scams include international cooperation, proposals to amend the Penal Code to address cybercrime cases, and the Semakmule 2.0 portal initiative to help the public check the status of bank accounts, phone numbers and companies potentially involved in fraudulent activities. — Bernama
Malay Mail
43 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Free speech activists slam ‘excessive force' by police against plantation workers protesting outside Parliament
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Civil groups Article 19 and the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) have today condemned what they described as excessive force by police against peaceful protesters outside Parliament yesterday. In a joint statement, the groups urged the police against obstructing the right to freedom of assembly and to instead facilitate the public's right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. 'Parliament is not a prohibited location for peaceful assemblies and the police must allow such gatherings to take place without unwarranted interference,' said Nalini Elumalai, Senior Malaysia Programme Officer of human rights group Article 19. Nalini had accused authorities of using unnecessary force to block individuals who were seeking to reach their representatives, to call for a decent housing scheme law for the plantation workers. 'According to international human rights standards, peaceful assemblies are permitted in public spaces and should be within sight and sound of their intended audience, particularly lawmakers, to effectively convey their messages. 'Any restrictions must meet the three part-test of legality, legitimate aim, proportionality and necessity,' she added. The clashes occurred yesterday when police allegedly attempted to physically block plantation workers and activists from marching to Parliament to call for new legislation protecting workers from forced evictions. Hundreds of plantation workers had gathered at Taman Tugu before marching to Parliament to submit a memorandum urging laws to require alternative housing for workers if estates are repurposed. Although the memorandum was handed to both government and opposition MPs, protesters were initially met with a police blockade that caused a scuffle, during which Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) deputy chairperson S. Arutchelvan fell to the ground. Police later claimed an officer was injured by protesters, and said Arutchelvan is being investigated under Section 353 of the Penal Code for allegedly using criminal force to deter a public servant. 'The right to peaceful assembly is a cornerstone of any functioning democracy. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim came to power on a promise of institutional and democratic transformation,' said CIJ executive director Wathshlah Naidu. '[This] incident highlights the urgent need to accelerate the pace of these commitments, which must include not only a review of laws that restrict freedom of expression, but also ensure that law enforcement officers are adequately trained to respect and protect peaceful protesters.'
