Ex-Justice Minister’s son plans to return master’s degree

Ex-Minister of Justice Cho Kuk’s son (age 26), who is suspected of using a forged internship certificate in his master’s degree application to Yonsei University, said that he would voluntarily return his degree.

“After much thought, he has decided to return his master’s degree from Yonsei University,” said Cho. "This was communicated to the school via certification of contents."

Cho applied for a combined master’s and Ph.D. course at the School of Policy and Diplomacy at Yonsei University in the second semester of 2017 but was rejected. He was accepted in 2018 and received his degree in 2021. At the time of application, Cho submitted a document certifying that he had completed a 16-hour internship at CM Patent Law Firm but was investigated by Public Prosecution on suspicions that the document had been forged.

Lawmaker Choi Kang-wook of the Democratic Party, who issued the document, went to trial on charges of disrupting graduate school entrance operations. Investigation results revealed that Choi had issued a forged report stating that Cho’s son had “performed outstanding work in his role and responsibilities as an intern for 16 hours twice a week from January to October 2017.” The first trial court in 2021 ruled eight months imprisonment and two years of probation, which was repeated in the second trial court in May 2022.

“The Admission Process Management Committee, which was formed last year to discuss whether to retain Cho’s degree, will be holding a meeting soon in light of Cho’s wishes to discuss the validity of the degree,” said Yonsei University.


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