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Justice Minister Cho Kuk during his inauguration ceremony at the Justice Ministry on Sept. 9. (Park Jong-shik

Justice Minister Cho Kuk announced his resignation on Oct. 14, just 36 days after being appointed on Sept. 9.

On Oct. 14, Cho released a statement saying, “My role as kindling [for prosecutorial reform] ends here,” adding, “Today, I step down as Justice Minister.”

“For the past two and a half years, I’ve devoted all my energy as the first senior presidential secretary for civil affairs and as the justice minister to prosecutorial reform, doing everything in my power,” he continued. “But I ultimately decided that I couldn’t burden President Moon and his administration with the controversy surrounding my family. The time has come where my resignation is necessary for the completion of prosecutorial reform. My role as kindling ends here.”

“The necessary legislation and revisions [for reform] have already begun on a governmental level, and party, government, and Blue House officials in senior-level meetings have reconfirmed their devotion to the Moon administration’s prosecutorial reform plans,” Cho explained. “Despite all the hurdles, prosecutorial reform has come this far because of the people. I now pass off the baton to my successor, someone who will be able to continue the reform with greater force than I can muster.”

Cho also apologized for anyone who was disillusioned by the scandal surrounding his family. “Regardless of the reasons [for the controversy], I apologize to the Korean people, especially to the young people who have been disillusioned,” he said, adding, “I’m sorry to the people because of the investigation of my family, but as the justice minister I did everything I could in my last few days in office to ensure prosecutorial reform, dedicated to making every day count.“

“Now that I’ve resigned,” Cho continued, “I will take care of my family and console them in the most troubling time of their lives.”

“If I don’t stand by my family right now, I feel like I’d regret it for the rest of my life. I consider it my natural duty to stand by them and offer as much warmth as I can and share in their pain so that they do not fall victim to despair.”

By Hwang Chun-hwa, staff reporter

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