SEOUL - Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and his wife, Chung Kyung-sim, have requested the Seoul High Court to call an American professor to testify in their appellate court case. This request, made on Monday, aims to counter the allegations of online exam cheating involving their son at George Washington University (GWU) in 2016. During a hearing, Cho's lawyers argued for the need to summon GWU professor Geoffrey Macdonald, who reportedly expressed willingness to testify in the Korean court next year. Cho was previously sentenced to two years in prison by the Seoul Central District Court on charges including obstruction of GWU's business by aiding his son in solving online exam questions. Chung was paroled in September after serving part of her four-year sentence for document forgery related to her daughter's college admission.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the professor's willingness to clarify the U.S. school system and his doubts about the criminality of the matter were highlighted by Cho's legal team. However, prosecutors criticized this move as a potential delay tactic in the appellate trial, especially in light of Cho's possible participation in the upcoming general elections.