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Former liberal party chief Cho Kuk spends 60th birthday alone in prison

Published: 06 Apr. 2025, 17:25

Cho Kuk heads to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi after the Supreme Court upheld his conviction on Dec. 16, 2024. [YONHAP]

Former Rebuilding Korea Party Leader Cho Kuk spent his 60th birthday alone in prison on Sunday after correctional authorities rejected a request from party officials for a special in-person visit.

Born on April 6, 1965, Cho remains incarcerated following his conviction on academic and financial misconduct charges. Hwang Hyun-seon, the party’s secretary general, marked the occasion on social media.

He wrote that since prosecutors launched their investigation in 2019, Cho has not received what he called a proper birthday celebration.

“We send birthday greetings as we await the spring of Cho Kuk,” Hwang wrote.

Hwang added that Cho began to avoid birthday celebrations in 2020 after his wife, former professor Chung Kyung-sim, also went to prison.

“He found even receiving birthday wishes burdensome,” Hwang wrote. “We shared a quiet meal, without a cake. If we had known what was coming, we would have made last year’s celebration louder.”

Party officials had requested a special visit but failed to secure approval. Hwang said he reminded himself of Cho’s own words: “I do not know what trials lie ahead, but I have never lived in submission to fate.”

Earlier this week, Cho released a letter from prison after the Constitutional Court removed former President Yoon Suk Yeol from office.

He accused “so-called conservative forces” of degrading Korean democracy, claiming they had “dragged K-democracy down to a flawed democracy.” He urged voters to recognize the stakes in the next presidential election.

The Rebuilding Korea Party recently defeated the Democratic Party in the April 2 by-election for Damyang County head in South Jeolla, marking its first local election victory.

Cho’s prison term ends on Dec. 15, 2026.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY KIM CHUL-WOONG [[email protected]]