Ex-justice minister's daughter fined over admission fraud charges
Cho Min, the daughter of former Justice Minister and now leader of the Korea Innovation Party Cho Kuk, walks out of a Seoul court, March 22. Yonhap
The daughter of disgraced former Justice Minister Cho Kuk was ordered to pay a fine of 10 million won ($7,470) by a Seoul court Friday on charges of university admission fraud.
Cho Min, 32, was indicted on charges of document forgery and obstruction of business for allegedly collaborating with her mother to submit falsified documents, including an admission form, a cover letter and a commendation letter, to Pusan National University's Graduate School of Medicine in June 2014.
She is also alleged to have conspired with her parents to submit fabricated documents to Seoul National University College of Medicine in June 2013.
"The series of admission fraud crimes is blameworthy of criticism for triggering public mistrust, and causing a sense of despondency and disappointment in many people who worked diligently hoping for fair competition," the Seoul Central District Court said, finding Cho guilty of all counts in the indictment.
Cho left the court after the ruling without responding to a request for comment.
In February, an appeals court upheld a two-year prison sentence for the former justice minister on academic fraud and other charges. Cho Kuk, now heading the Korea Innovation Party to run for the April 10 general elections, appealed the sentence to the Supreme Court. (Yonhap)