Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, who was indicted on charges of academic admission fraud and obstruction of internal investigations, speaks to reporters after being sentenced to two years in prison during his first-instance trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on February 3, 2023. Yonhap News

Academics have issued a scathing critique arguing that a special pardon for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk must never be granted, as he committed the most detestable "sin of hypocrisy" in the long history of civilization—a sin that covers up "all the vices of the world" rather than pursuing truth as a university professor.

In a statement released on the 11th, the Scholars for Social Justice (SSJ) declared, "Cho Kuk's criminal behavior did not merely reach the level of an individual pursuing personal desire and status; as a university professor, he preached justice with his words and writings while engaging in extreme hypocrisy, deception, and foul play that would make even a common swindler cringe," as they sharply criticized him.

The SSJ lamented, "With the 'Cho Kuk incident,' South Korean society began its descent into an endless abyss of depravity, beginning with the extreme hypocrisy, cowardice, and shamelessness he displayed," adding, "Far from being a 'Justice Minister' responsible for the nation's justice, Cho Kuk was nothing more than a provocateur against 'conscience, intellect, and civilization.'"

They further pointed out, "The Cho Kuk incident has devastatingly shattered the principle of 'equality before the law' stipulated in Article 11 of the Constitution. It revealed the so-called 'newly privileged class' of the activist circle, whose arrogant dominance has torn apart the structure of equality in Korean society, and in particular, made the predatory act of pre-empting the opportunities and rights of the younger future generation a common occurrence."

The SSJ demanded, "President Lee Jae-myung must immediately cease the push for a special pardon for Cho Kuk, the 'ultimate master of hypocrisy' and a pathetic, shameless criminal." Furthermore, they stated, "We demand that the Ministry of Justice immediately withdraw the already decided pardon for Cho Kuk and the reinstatement of Chung Kyung-sim, and fundamentally exclude pardons for shameless political prisoners who have engaged in unconscionable and anti-civilizational acts." At the same time, they emphasized, "The President must respect the final judgment of the judiciary and exercise the power of pardon selectively according to the spirit of the Constitution, not as a political tool."

The statement warned, "A nation where the principle that 'all people are equal before the law' has collapsed cannot uphold conscience, fairness, justice, or democracy. This is something that shakes the very legitimacy and foundation of the Republic of Korea as a civilized, constitutional state of law. Professors at the SSJ warn the current administration and the ruling power: The current 'disorder of conscience and the rule of law' will rapidly lead to the downfall of the Republic of Korea. This 'Cho Kuk pardon' will be the starting point, and the next will be the downfall of this arrogant and amoral current administration."

The following is the full text of the SSJ statement.

We Absolutely Oppose the Special Pardon of Cho Kuk!

The government is recently pushing for the inclusion of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk (hereinafter Cho Kuk) in the 2025 Liberation Day special pardons. Cho Kuk was sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of 6 million won in his first-instance trial in February 2023. The same sentence was upheld in the appellate court in February 2024, and the sentence was finalized by the Supreme Court on December 12, 2024. Consequently, he has lost his seat as a member of the National Assembly and is currently serving his prison term.

The confirmed criminal charges against him include "academic admission fraud," "issuance of false internship certificates," "violation of the Public Service Ethics Act regarding private equity funds," and "obstruction of Blue House internal investigations," all of which are serious crimes that have fundamentally undermined the fairness of education, the ethics of public officials, and trust in national institutions. His crimes went beyond individual deviance; they were "organized crimes" involving his wife and children, and incidents that shook the foundations of the rule of law and social justice in the Republic of Korea.

The so-called "Cho Kuk incident" of 2019 was a truly momentous event that caused massive upheaval in South Korean society.

First, as a university professor, Cho Kuk committed the most detestable "sin of hypocrisy" in the long history of civilization—a sin that covers up "all the vices of the world" rather than pursuing truth. Cho Kuk's criminal behavior did not merely reach the level of an individual pursuing personal desire and status. As a university professor, he preached justice with his words and writings while engaging in extreme hypocrisy, deception, and foul play that would make even a common swindler cringe.

Second, with the Cho Kuk incident, South Korean society began its descent into an endless abyss of depravity, beginning with the extreme hypocrisy, cowardice, and shamelessness he displayed. Far from being a "Justice Minister" responsible for the nation's justice, Cho Kuk was nothing more than a provocateur against "conscience, intellect, and civilization." His appointment as Minister ended in a voluntary resignation after 35 days due to the fierce opposition of intellectuals and the public. However, he never once reflected or apologized for actions that abandoned the "universal common sense" that a professor—or indeed any human being—should possess. Since 2019, South Korean society has been mired in chaos over the debate surrounding Cho Kuk, and the pollution of common sense and conscience among intellectuals and the leadership has driven our entire society into endless moral, ethical, and political depravity.

Third, the Cho Kuk incident has devastatingly shattered the principle of "equality before the law" stipulated in Article 11 of the Constitution. It revealed the so-called "newly privileged class" of the activist circle, whose arrogant dominance has torn apart the structure of equality in Korean society. In particular, it made the predatory act of pre-empting the opportunities and rights of the younger future generation a common occurrence. The fanfare of Cho Kuk's detestable "hypocrisy" spread to the totalism of his fan base and eventually culminated in the "one-man rule" of a "criminal" president.

The special pardon stipulated in Article 79 of the Constitution is the inherent authority of the President. However, it is by no means an unlimited privilege. A pardon should only be exercised exceptionally when there is a significant public interest and national consensus. This pardon for Cho Kuk fails to meet these requirements. At the time of Cho Kuk's arrest, public opinion was largely negative regarding his appointment, and the majority assessed the prosecution's investigation as justified. Recent opinion polls also show that public sentiment is predominantly against a special pardon for Cho Kuk. While a pardon can be a means of national integration, it deepens social division when abused in a way that undermines judicial justice. This move for Cho Kuk's pardon can only be seen as a reward for political cooperation in the past general and presidential elections and a means to consolidate forces, rather than an act of upholding constitutional values.

The current President, Lee Jae-myung, has a criminal record, having been sentenced to fines or heavier punishments for four separate crimes in the past. Furthermore, he is indicted for massive crimes unimaginable to the general public, including allegations of directing an illegal $8 million remittance to North Korea, development favors in Daejang-dong, Jeongja-dong, Baekhyeon-dong, and Wirye New Town, bribery via Seongnam FC donations, and violations of the Public Official Election Act. However, these trials are effectively stalled. For a president with such a criminal background to pardon Cho Kuk, a "former Justice Minister" currently serving time for a series of confirmed serious crimes after only 35 days in office, is an act that dismantles the foundations of civilizational common sense and the rule of law.

The pardon of Cho Kuk is an act in which the President personally declares that the boundaries between conscience, ethics, law (justice), and politics in the Republic of Korea have already collapsed. Accordingly, the "Scholars for Social Justice" (SSJ), comprised of over 6,000 university professors at home and abroad who are awakened by Cho Kuk's hypocrisy and foul play and dedicated to upholding the Constitution and universal conscience of Korea to practice freedom, truth, and justice, demand the following from the President and the Minister of Justice.

First, we demand that President Lee Jae-myung immediately cease the push for a special pardon for Cho Kuk, the "ultimate master of hypocrisy" and a pathetic, shameless criminal.

Second, we demand that the Ministry of Justice immediately withdraw the already decided pardon for Cho Kuk and the reinstatement of Chung Kyung-sim, and fundamentally exclude pardons for shameless political prisoners who have engaged in unconscionable and anti-civilizational acts.

Third, we demand that the President respect the final judgment of the judiciary and exercise the power of pardon selectively according to the spirit of the Constitution, not as a political tool.

A nation where the principle that "all people are equal before the law" has collapsed cannot uphold conscience, fairness, justice, or democracy. This is something that shakes the very legitimacy and foundation of the Republic of Korea as a civilized, constitutional state of law. Professors at the SSJ warn the current administration and the ruling power: The current "disorder of conscience and the rule of law" will rapidly lead to the downfall of the Republic of Korea. This "Cho Kuk pardon" will be the starting point, and the next will be the downfall of this arrogant and amoral current administration.

August 11, 2025

Scholars for Social Justice (SSJ)