Prosecutors on Monday filed an arrest warrant hearing for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s wife, Chung Kyung-shim, on charges of forging a document used to support a university application for their daughter.

She also faces charges of obstructing official business, insider trading, embezzlement and withholding evidence. Two months ago, prosecutors raided multiple organizations connected with the family’s alleged malfeasance.

Chung submitted what appeared to be a medical diagnosis to the prosecution during previous rounds of questioning, claiming she suffers from a brain tumor and other serious health problems. She has not responded to the prosecution's request that she provide the name of the doctor or hospital responsible for the diagnosis. 

Chung is accused of forging a certificate issued by the university where she is a professor. She used it in her daughter’s medical school application, potentially obstructing the official business of all the medical schools to which her daughter applied.

She is also under suspicion of taking part in insider trading and embezzling in connection with an equity fund run by a relative of his husband Cho. Chung, facing a total of 11 charges, has denied most of them and expects a hearing on her arrest warrant Wednesday.

Also on Monday, Cho Kuk’s younger brother, Cho Kwon, was questioned by prosecutors. Cho, who also complained of health problems, faces allegations of embezzlement and bribery at a school foundation run by his family.

A local court refused to arrest Cho Kwon because of his unstable health conditions, his admission of guilt and mounting evidence. The court, which tends not to approve warrants when the accused admits wrongdoing and evidence is secured, concluded that the charges presented are disputable.

Cho Kwon is accused of filing two fraudulent lawsuits in 2006 and 2017 against the family foundation, Ungdong, where he served as the executive secretary. Cho made a construction company he set up sue the foundation twice for not paying back for renovations it carried out for Ungdong.

Another accusation facing the minister’s brother concerns 200 million won he allegedly accepted in bribes from job applicants seeking positions at a school run by the foundation in the 2010s. Two of the applicants have already been arrested.

Prosecutors, who deny that Cho’s health is failing, say they seek more questioning to file for his arrest warrant later this week.

By Choi Si-young (siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)