Choi Min (33), who is accused of corruption in the entrance examination of the medical school, received a fine in both the first and second trials. Choi is the daughter of former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk. Both Choi and the prosecution did not file an appeal, so the ruling is now final.
According to the legal community on the 2nd, both Choi and the prosecution did not submit an appeal to the second trial panel of the Seoul Central District Court (Judges Director General Cho Eun-a, Kwak Jeong-han, and Kang Hee-seok), which reviewed the case. The deadline for the appeal was until the 30th of last month.
Earlier, the second trial panel maintained the first trial ruling, which imposed a fine of 10 million won on the 23rd of last month. The second trial panel noted, "While closely examining the first trial’s judgment rejecting the defendant's misunderstanding of law claims against the legal principles and records, it can be deemed justifiable, and therefore, we reject the defendant’s assertions."
In particular, the second trial panel stated regarding the prosecution's claim that the sentence is light and Choi's claim that it is heavy, "There have been no changes in the sentencing conditions compared to the first trial, and as long as it does not exceed a reasonable range, we respect it," adding, "No special circumstances were found that would warrant acceptance."
During the final statement, Choi said, "I have abandoned all potential gains due to the documents in question, and now I want to fulfill my social responsibilities in other ways."
Choi was charged with submitting a falsely written personal statement to the medical school of Seoul National University, along with an internship confirmation letter in the name of the head of the Public Interest and Human Rights Law Center at the Seoul National University School of Law, and a forged certificate from Tongyang University in June 2013.
Additionally, Choi's mother, Jeong Kyung-sim, a former professor at Tongyang University, was charged with submitting a falsely written application, personal statement, and forged certificate from the president of Tongyang University to the Admissions Office of Pusan National University in June 2014, thus obstructing the admissions evaluation process.
Choi entered Pusan National University’s medical school in 2015 and obtained a medical license after graduation, but it has since been revoked. Choi argued for the cancellation of the university's decision to revoke the admission but lost in the first trial and withdrew the appeal afterward.
The prosecution indicted Choi on the 2023 August, fifteen days after the Ministry of Health and Welfare revoked her medical license. The first trial panel ruled in March of the following year, stating, "The corruption related to this entrance examination case raises public distrust and causes disillusionment for the majority who strive for fair competition, and thus carries a significant likelihood of condemnation," and found her guilty.