CHUNG KYUNG-SHIM SENTENCED TO PRISON

[Anchor Lead]

Chung Kyung-shim, wife of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, was sentenced yesterday to four years in prison for forging documents related to her daughter’s admission to medical school. The court ordered immediate detention of the Dongyang University professor after the sentencing, fearing that she may destroy evidence.

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The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Chung Kyung-shim, wife of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, to four years in prison and 500 million won in fines. The ruling came 15 months after she was indicted for forging a Dongyang University award certificate in September of 2019. She was charged with 15 counts of fraud related to her daughter’s medical school admission, dubious investment in a private equity fund, and destruction of evidence. The court found her guilty on all counts associated with the forgery of admission documents. The Dongyang University professor was found guilty of forging or lying on the college admission documents, such as the Dongyang University President’s award certificate and various internship confirmations. The court said that Chung hindered the colleges’ admission procedures and her actions undermined our society’s trust and expectations in the college admission system. She was found guilty on only some of the allegations related to financial fraud and destruction of evidence. She was accused of gaining unfair profits after buying 120,000 corporate shares using insider information. The court handed down a guilty verdict for 100,000 shares but dismissed the charge on other 20,000 shares. As for the allegations of investing in a private equity fund using the names of her brother and acquaintances, the court issued different verdicts for each of the accounts she had borrowed. Meanwhile, she was found not guilty of embezzling from CO-LINK Private Equity Company where Chung and her family had invested. She was also found innocent of exaggerating investment reports to the Financial Services Commission. However, the court found her guilty of instructing CO-LINK PE employees to destroy the materials related to her brother and to forge the fund operation reports. The court said that she had tried actively to cover up her crimes and ordered her to be arrested immediately for she may try to destroy evidence again. Chung’s attorney said an appeal will be filed shortly.

[Soundbite] KIM CHIL-JOON(CHUNG’S ATTORNEY) : "Our efforts to reveal the truth at the trial worked against her and she got a heavier sentence. The court probably thought she showed no remorse."

The Dongyang University professor was sent back to the Seoul Southern Detention Facility 7 months after her release when the court had decided not to extend her detention.