Parties wrangle over justice minister nominee
Moon expected to appoint Cho Kuk despite mounting allegations
Parties clashed over new allegations regarding the daughter of justice minister nominee Cho Kuk during a National Assembly confirmation hearing, Friday.
Much like his remarks at the press conference arranged by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) earlier this week, he denied the allegations of power abuse in his daughter’s academic background. In particular, he denied any wrongdoing regarding the latest allegation of rigging an award from Dongyang University used in his daughter’s admission to a medical school.
Cho admitted that he had spoken on the phone with the university’s dean Choi Sung-hae, but he said it was only to ask him to clarify the widespread misunderstandings. “I did not ask for a false testimony and only conveyed my intention to reveal the truth,” Cho said. Opposition parties raised suspicions that Cho asked the dean to cover up what could be determined as forgery of an official document, which could impact his daughter’s admission to the medical school.
Cho’s wife, a Dongyang University professor, has faced suspicions that she initiated the alleged fabrication of the award for their daughter’s credentials. “If my wife doctored the document, she should be punished by law,” Cho said. But he claimed that he was not aware of the widespread school-related allegations involving his daughter, including her admission into a prestigious university in Seoul, and her scholarships and internships. “I do not know a lot of the allegations that are being investigated,” Cho said.
When asked if he still wanted to be justice minister despite all the criticisms, he underlined that he had a calling to fulfill. “This is not about personal gain,” Cho said. “I feel this is my last public calling.” The former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs said he had no political ambition beyond completing the reform of the judiciary, which has been a core pledge of President Moon Jae-in. He had been widely considered a possible presidential candidate and a contender in the general elections next year.
The hearing, which began at 10 a.m., came after Moon requested the Assembly to send a confirmation hearing report by Friday, a procedural step before appointing a ministerial-level nominee. Moon is expected to appoint Cho and other nominees Monday after returning from a three-nation Southeast Asia tour. Cheong Wa Dae has stood by Cho despite the calls to withdraw his nomination amid rising public doubts over Cho’s suitability as justice minister. “Nothing has been confirmed so far about the wrongdoings of Cho himself,” a presidential aide said Thursday.
According to a recent survey by Realmeter Friday, 56.2 percent opposed the appointment of Cho as justice minister, whereas 40.1 percent expressed support for him.
Earlier on Tuesday, he held a press conference to answer questions from reporters about the allegations. He repeatedly denied his involvement in the allegations claiming “I did not know the details about the process over the matters.”
The allegations about his daughter getting preferential treatment for university admission has provoked public uproar as admission to prestigious universities is a sensitive issue in Korea amid a widening class divide.
Cho has been suspected of exercising his political power to help his 28-year-old daughter participate in various internships and receive certificates which later helped her enter prestigious universities including a medical school.