Cho Kuk, the former leader of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, who was released from prison under a presidential special pardon last week, has applied to rejoin the party.

The party said Tuesday that Cho submitted an application for his reinstatement after business hours on Monday.

It said its membership review committee will promptly initiate the necessary procedures.

Cho left the party in December after the Supreme Court upheld his two-year prison sentence for academic fraud involving his children and unlawful interference with a government inspection.