“If you look at the accusations that have continued from the beginning of the investigation to the present, this case is nothing more than an objective and concrete criticism, but an Ashitabi (我是他非·I am right and left wrong), and I’m sorry.”
At the appeal hearing held on the 15th of Cho Guk’s 5th nephew, Cho Beom-dong, the prosecution of the former Minister of Justice made a deliberate remark on the criticisms poured out for the investigation of the former Minister’s family. The 11th Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court (Judge Ja-Heon Koo) held a hearing on the appeal of Mr. Jo on this day.
![Cho Bum-dong, the 5th nephew of former Justice Minister Cho Kook. [연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202101/15/ab2f161a-05ad-40c1-a6cd-23c4f2cfa4f9.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
Cho Bum-dong, the 5th nephew of former Justice Minister Cho Kook. [연합뉴스]
Prosecutor Kang Baek-shin (Tongyeong Branch Office of Changwon District Prosecutors’ Office), who has been in charge of the investigation and trial against Mr. Cho, requested strict punishment against Mr. Jo to the court and referred to the accusations poured out on the investigation. On this day, the prosecution asked the court to sentence Jo to six years in prison and a fine of 50 million won.
“It’s not a rhetoric that started from factional standards
General Prosecutor Kang said that the investigation into the family of former Minister Cho was initiated in response to suspicion of civil society such as the media in preparation for the hearing, but was not based on factional standards. He mentioned that the case was handled according to judicial standards, not the so-called’dust-haired’ investigation. He also said, “The prosecution was slandered as if the prosecution had over-invested by reducing the strict corruption as if it were only forged private documents.
At the same time, he insisted that the prosecution’s exercise of prosecution rights related to Cho’s family is fulfilling its duty to protect the people. Prosecutor Kang said about the core of the right to prosecution, saying, “It is to ensure that powerful people do not hide behind the shields of public power and organization even if they use their power unfairly.” It is our responsibility to protect the people directly and indirectly by exercising them.”
Regarding the’one-sided slander according to the factional standards’ pointed out by the prosecution, he said, “It is to infringe on the independence of prosecution and trial so that those who commit crimes are not punished if it is on our side.” At the same time, he urged the court that “the court needs to be an opportunity to establish the rule of law by making a just judgment that conforms to the substantive truth according to judicial standards rather than factional standards.”
Attorney, “Investigation based on bias and distortion”
On the other hand, the attorney, who began to speak, argued against it. Mr. Cho’s lawyer refuted that “this case is an investigation based on bias and distortion.” The defendant complained of resentment, saying, “The defendant was a means to prove the charges of former Justice Minister Cho Kook and Professor Jeong Gyeong-shim, who were five villagers, and became an intermediate target for the prosecution.”
Cho was handed over to the trial on charges of using private equity funds while actually operating Kolink PE, a private equity fund manager, and attempting to support the stock price through false disclosures, and was sentenced to 4 years in prison and a fine of 50 million won at the first trial. The sentence for appeal will be held on the 29th.
Reporter Lee Sujeong [email protected]