Former justice minister hints at parliamentary bid as 'nonlegal' route for redemption

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk has hinted at the possibility of running for the National Assembly in next year's general elections, in a bid to restore his honor.

Appearing on a YouTube show hosted by left-leaning broadcaster Kim Ou-joon, Cho expressed his desire to clear his name through legal means while currently standing trial.

However, if his legal efforts do not yield the desired results, he said he is considering "nonlegal measures" to rebuild his reputation.

“It comes both as instinctual and the right of citizens to justify oneself through nonlegal avenues, including social, cultural and political means, if one cannot secure vindication within the existing legal system,” he said.

In February this year, a lower court handed down a two-year prison sentence to the former minister, convicting him of falsifying documents for his children's school admissions and using his position as a presidential aide to obstruct a corruption investigation.

He is currently appealing the verdict.