South Korea Supreme Court Upholds Two-Year Sentence for Opposition Leader Cho Kuk

South Korea’s Supreme Court has upheld a two-year prison sentence for Cho Kuk, a prominent opposition leader, over charges of forging academic documents to aid his children’s admissions to elite schools.

In a statement on Thursday, December 12, the court affirmed lower court rulings that found Cho guilty of "obstruction of public and private document forgery," cementing the verdict handed down by Seoul’s Central District Court in 2023.

Cho, a former academic and one-time justice minister under ex-President Moon Jae-in, was regarded as a rising political figure and potential presidential candidate. However, his political ascent unraveled in 2019 amid accusations that he used his position as a college professor to manipulate admissions processes for his son and daughter.

The Central District Court described Cho’s actions as severe, stating: “The nature of his crimes is grave, as he exploited his authority over an extended period to undermine fairness in education.”

As a key member of the liberal Rebuilding Korea party, which gained 12 parliamentary seats this year, Cho has been a staunch critic of President Yoon Suk Yeol. He played a prominent role in the opposition’s efforts to impeach Yoon following the president’s controversial declaration of martial law last week, which has further intensified South Korea’s political unrest.

With the Supreme Court’s decision, Cho will lose his parliamentary seat and is expected to begin his sentence imminently. Prosecutors have reportedly requested that he report to a correctional facility as early as Friday, December 13.

The ruling marks a significant blow to the opposition and a pivotal moment in South Korea’s ongoing political crisis, as the nation grapples with questions of integrity and fairness in its educational and political systems.