Moon appoints Cho Kuk as new justice minister

Cho kuk

President Moon Jae-in on Monday formally appointed Cho Kuk as the new justice minister despite the prosecution’s ongoing investigations into his family’s suspected academic fraud and dubious investments.

Moon approved appointments of six minister-level officials including Cho on Monday, the Blue House said. The appointments completed Moon’s cabinet reshuffle announced last month.

Cho, who until late July served as Moon’s senior secretary for civil affairs, has faced a series of allegations surrounding his family. Cho’s wife, Chung Kyung-sim, was criminally charged late Friday night with faking an academic award for her daughter — just moments after her husband’s confirmation hearing at the National Assembly drew to a close.

In August, Moon reshuffled seven minister-level officials, but the National Assembly confirmed only one of them — Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Kim Hyun-soo. The National Assembly completed the confirmation process last week by holding a hearing to scrutinize Cho on Friday.

The Blue House will hold a formal appointment ceremony in the afternoon, presidential spokesman Ko Min-jung said.

BY SER MYO-JA [ser.myoja@joongang.co.kr]