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South Korean reporters grill justice minister nominee Cho Kuk for 11 hours
- Cho Kuk’s nomination has become a partisan battleground with questions over his daughter’s schooling and relatives’ investment
- He was slammed for hypocrisy when it emerged he had sent his daughter to the kind of elite high school he has criticised
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A would-be justice minister in South Korea facing allegations of hypocrisy and favouritism involving his family has held a marathon 11-hour press conference in a bid to salvage his sinking reputation and nomination.
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A liberal darling with an impeccable resume, law professor Cho Kuk was named last month by President Moon Jae-in, himself a former human rights lawyer, to lead the justice ministry.
A smooth confirmation was expected at first, with pundits noting the position could serve as a springboard to a presidential candidacy. But the process became a partisan battleground with questions over his daughter’s schooling, and relatives’ investment in a private equity fund suspected of dubious operations.
Cho bowed in apology and sat down to face around 300 reporters at 3.30pm on Monday after a scheduled parliamentary confirmation hearing was cancelled due to political disagreements over the witness list.
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The press conference did not finish until 2.16am on Tuesday.
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