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Cho Min (Korean: 조민, born 1991) is the daughter of the prominent political figure of South Korea, Cho Kuk. She is currently a medical student at the Busan National University. She became the focal point of a major scandal where it was found that she and her parents falsified academic achievements, including participation in peer-reviewed journals and extra-curricular activities.

Early Years
Cho Min was born in February of 1991 in Seoul, South Korea. Her father is Cho Kuk, a prominent politician, and Jung Gyeongsim, a university professor. Her birth date registration was changed to September of 1991 on the suggestion of her paternal grandfather in order to send her earlier to the school system. She was born to a wealthy family based in Busan, then the owners of Ungdong Educational Foundation and Korea Construction Company.

During her years in high school, she published Nos Gene Polymorphisms in Perinatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in the The Korean Journal of Pathology as the first author, meaning she did much of the research. She was also a co-author of Identification of Sex-specific genes in Aglaothamnion callophyllidicola (Rhodophyta) using differentially expressed gene analysis and she made the presentation at the 9th International Phycological Congress. These merits, along with numerous internships at prestigious institutions, helped her advance her career from a foreign language high school to Korea University's Life Sciences department, then to a Masters program at Seoul National University, and finally to the medical school of Busan National University.

Cho Kuk Scandal and the Falsification of Academic Achievements of Cho Mim
Beginning in late 2019, Cho Min's extraordinary academic achievements have come under scrutiny as her father, Cho Kuk, got involved in a serious scandal involving illegitimate business activities and falsifying Cho Min's academic achievements. On 27 August 2019, it was reported that 20 different locations, including Seoul National University, Busan University, Korea University, Dankook University, Kongju National University, Cho's brother-in-law's home, and other offices of his family businesses were raided by the prosecutor's office. Led by Yoon Suk-yeol, they were in search of evidence related to Cho's daughter's suspicious academic achievements, including a pathology paper, "eNos Gene Polymorphisms in Perinatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy". The paper was published in an international medical research journal, listing her as the primary author even though she was only a high school student. The meidcal paper was later retracted due to violating ethical guidelines of medical and was retracted. A senior association of medical experts in South Korea condemned the paper as one of the most serious cases of academic disconduct in South Korean history and compared it to Hwang Woo-suk scandal.

She later used this now retracted medical paper and other controversial extra-curricular experiences to enter Korea University and the Busan University medical school via a highly criticized admission path that does not require candidates to submit written college examination results. She is also under suspicion of receive multiple scholarships normally reserved for financially challenged students. At the medical school, she flunked two semesters for substandard performance.

In addition, Cho's family members are currently under a travel ban. He and his family are under suspicion of inappropriate business practices, investments, and asset gains.

The aforementioned all preceded Cho's Minister of Justice nominee hearings, which took place on the 2nd and 3rd of September 2019. These controversies led to candlelight protests against Cho at both Seoul National University and Korea University on 23 August, where demands for his immediate resignation from the institution and his nomination were made. "Cho Kuk, you are an embarrassment," was one of this protest's campaign messages. "A survey of some 1,800 SNU students conducted by the online student community SNULife and released on 15 August, found that 95% of students said Cho was 'not fit for the justice minister position at all'". (University World News) On 28 August, a second candle light protest was held at SNU, in which a total of 700 students participated.

On 4 September, Cho's wife, Chung Kyung-sim was officially announced as a defendant in allegations of acts of impropriety regarding an academic award claimed to have been awarded to her daughter, Cho Min, from Dongyang University. His wife's offices were put under search and seizure to obtain evidence. In addition, the President of Dongyang University, Choi Sung-hae has come out and denied ever awarding her such. Choi further added that, after leaving the prosecutor's office, as an educator, he cannot out of good conscience lie and, furthermore, the certificate number on the award in question (which appears to come with an official stamp from his office) is not in line with what his office officially utilises. The official award numbers start with "000"; the number on the fake certificate started with a "1". This indicates that there was fraud involved because the stamp itself seems similar to the official one. Most noteworthy is that this fake certificate, among other questionable awards in Cho's daughter's name, were used by Cho's family to apply for various top universities.

It was further reported that Cho's wife and other personal and political associates of Cho Kuk, including Rhyu Si-min, former Minister of Health and Welfare under Roh Moo-hyun Cabinet, placed a call to Choi and suggested that he say the certificate was authentic. Rhyu has admitted to the call but claims to have made the call as a YouTube reporter for information clarification.

On 10 September 2019, shortly after Cho Kuk's nomination hearing, Cho Kuk's wife, Chung Kyung-sim, was officially indicted for forgery of a document by the prosecutor's office. Prior to the charges and during the hearing, when asked what should happen if his wife should face charges, Cho Kuk replied that his wife should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Cho Kuk did not add that he would withdraw or resign from the nomination (Korea Times, 11 Sept. 2019, Chosunilbo, 10 Sept. 2019)

On 24 October Chung Kyung-sim arrested for embezzlement using forged official documents and other charges.