South Korea’s Supreme Court on Dec. 12 upheld a two-year prison sentence for Cho Kuk, the former justice minister and leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party (RKP). The ruling also confirmed the forfeiture of Cho’s lawmaker status. Cho’s conviction stemmed from charges including forging documents to secure his children’s university admissions, obstruction of business and violations of anti-corruption laws.

Cho, a polarizing figure, briefly served as justice minister under the Moon Jae-in administration before resigning amid public backlash and legal controversies. Following his sentencing in Feb. 2023, he launched the RKP, which rapidly gained traction as an ally of the main opposition Democratic Party. His vacated seat as a proportional representative will automatically pass to the next candidate on the RKP’s list, leaving the opposition bloc’s numbers unchanged.