Plagiarism Cho was frequently accused of
plagiarism. In July 2013, Song Pyung-in of
The Dong-A Ilbo and a conservative commentator
Byun Hee-jae had mentioned that Cho plagiarized several theses written by Japanese scholars during his studies at
Seoul National University in 1989. He replied that he underwent some problems with citations, although "unsure because it was long time ago", but then he apologized for it. On 26 June 2015, Seoul National University issued a statement that some issues with his papers were found, though they were not serious. A few months after the incident, both commentators claimed again that Cho's plagiarism continued at
University of California, Berkeley in 1997. In response, Professor
John Yoo said that no rechecking is required. Berkeley also mentioned that there was no proof for the accusations.
Tax delinquencies Cho faced another criticisms regarding tax delinquencies related to the Ungdong Institute. CO-LINK invested in a Korean company that is contracted in a multi-billion dollar computer network project in South Korea. On 27 August 2019, a search warrant was carried out by the prosecutor's office on suspect sites. On 29 August, the former wife of Cho's younger brother Cho Kwon, Cho Eun-hyang, who is listed as the owner or CEO of many of Cho Kuk's family businesses and properties, was denied boarding on an international flight out of
Gimhae International Airport. Despite two full days of news reports, she claimed she was not aware of the flight ban placed on her. On 31 October 2019, Cho Kuk's younger brother, Cho Kwon, was arrested on charges of embezzlement and bribery. These charges were later dropped.
Falsification of academic achievements of Cho Min A scandals came from his pending
nomination as the Minister of Justice, mainly concerning Cho Kuk's falsification of academic achievements of his daughter,
Cho Min. Cho Min, and her parents Cho Kuk and Chung Kyung-sim, have been accused of falsifying her academic achievements to gain admission into prestigious universities and the medical school. Falsified academic achievements include her research in
genetics and
pathology, one which has since been retracted for violation of ethical guidelines. A senior association of medical experts in South Korea condemned the paper as one of the most serious cases of academic misconduct in South Korean history and compared it to the
Hwang Woo-suk scandal. On 31 December 2019, Cho was indicted on 12 charges over his role in his children's college admissions, including for bribery and corruption, but was not detained. In January 2020, Cho was removed from his teaching position at Seoul National University. In February 2023, Cho was sentenced to two years prison for falsely submitting documents attesting that his son had completed an
internship and forging his daughter's academic credentials. In June 2023, Seoul National University expelled him from their faculty of law. On 12 December 2024, Cho's conviction was upheld by the
Supreme Court of Korea, paving the way for his losing his seat in the National Assembly and his eligibility to run in presidential elections until 2029. Cho reported to prison on 16 December, after he successfully requested prosecutors to allow him to address official duties and the succession of Rebuilding Korea's leadership.
Arrest of Chung Kyung-sim On 10 September 2019, shortly after Cho Kuk's nomination hearing, his wife, Chung Kyung-sim, was officially indicted for forgery of a document by the prosecutor's office. When asked what should happen should his wife face charges, Cho replied that she should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. He did not add that he would withdraw or resign from the nomination. On 24 October Chung Kyung-sim was charged on 15 counts, including obstruction of business,
insider trading, embezzlement, and
withholding evidence. On 23 December 2020, she was found guilty on 11 charges, and sentenced to four years in prison and a total of (equivalent to around $500,000 US) in fines and "unlawful gains". The embezzlement charges were dismissed. The sentence was upheld by the supreme court on 27 January 2022. ==Pardon==