TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th October, 2019) South Korean Justice Minister Cho Kuk resigned on Monday, slightly over a month after his appointment, amid a corruption scandal involving his family.
Over the past weeks, Seoul has been rocked by mass rallies demanding the minister's resignation. The public backlash started mounting after the prosecution, whose reform Cho had been advocating, opened a corruption probe into his family. The minister's wife, in particular, is suspected of soliciting their daughter's admission to a medical school and being involved in a dubious investment scheme.
"I'm stepping down as justice minister today ... I felt apologetic to the people regarding the ongoing probes of my family but put in my best each day as justice minister to reform the prosecution. But now my role has come to an end," Cho said, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.
Cho earlier served as senior secretary to the president for civil affairs. His appointment as minister, despite the corruption allegations, was met with criticism and is believed to be among the reasons for President Moon Jae-In's approval rating drop to 41.4 percent, the lowest mark since he took office in May 2017.
