Choosing Cho beyond sense

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Choosing Cho beyond sense

The president of Dongyang University denied signing off or authorizing an award to the daughter of justice minister nominee Cho Kuk while his wife Chung Kyung-sim taught English at the school. Chung had placed her daughter on an internship program at the center for talents on English language that she headed, where her daughter won a presidential award for her internship excellence.

The university claimed the award prosecutors showed as Cho’s had a different serial number and format from official award certificates. Cho’s daughter mentioned the presidential award in a document applying for the Graduate School of Medicine at Pusan National University. If the award had been fabricated by Cho’s wife, she could face criminal charges.

Her internship record at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) is also being questioned. She also cited her internship activity at KIST in applying for the medical school. The school claims Cho’s daughter came to the office for two days and had not finished the full three-week program. The institute claims she could not have received the certificate for completing the program due to lack of attendance. During a news conference, Cho claimed his daughter got a presidential award from Dongyang University and finished the KIST internship.

The rival parties finally agreed to hold a confirmation hearing for Cho on Friday. Cho must not deceive the people by claiming ignorance.

The people are getting fatigued by the never-ending wrangling and noise over Cho. The legislature and prosecution must separately uncover the truth and end the controversy. The focus should be on how much knowledge and involvement Cho had in the private equity fund his family invested in and the Wi-Fi infrastructure awarding from the Seoul city to the company the fund had financed.

Depending on the findings, the investigation could spread to other people in the ruling party. With so many allegations, it is not right for President Moon Jae-in to rush in appointing Cho.

Placing someone at the highest command in upholding law and order when he and his entire family may fall under prosecutorial investigation goes beyond common sense.

Cho should retire himself from the nomination and honestly oblige with prosecutorial investigations. He is not fit to govern over the prosecution, budgeting or investigations.
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