Former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk. [Yonhap]
Former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk. [Yonhap]

Former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk fired back at independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon on Sunday, after Han called for playing audio recordings related to the acquittal of former Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Noh Woong-rae before the National Assembly. Cho challenged Han to agree to have the contents of his own mobile phone examined in the same forum.

Cho wrote on social media that the court had ruled the recordings inadmissible because they were obtained illegally, and therefore acquitted Noh. "At first glance, Han's proposal sounds reasonable," Cho said. "But releasing such recordings is itself illegal."

He added that in 2020, Han had set an approximately 20-digit password on his mobile phone, which had been subject to a search and seizure, and that prosecutors returned the device to Han in 2022 after dropping the case, citing a lack of technology to conduct a forensic examination.

"I am convinced that had prosecutors unlocked the password at the time, Han would have been indicted and found guilty," Cho said.

Cho said Han presents himself as a guardian of the law but is in reality nothing more than a "legal loach" — a Korean expression for someone who wriggles out of legal accountability. "Would he agree to have the contents of his phone examined together before the National Assembly?" Cho said.


min3654@heraldcorp.com