The president of Dongyang University said justice minister nominee Cho Kuk asked him to testify on his behalf regarding a controversial award to the nominee's daughter. 

Dongyang University President Choi Sung-hae told KBS on Thursday that Cho's wife, a professor at the university, telephoned him to discuss the issuance of the award, which is suspected of being fabricated and aiding her daughter's acceptance to a medical school.

Choi claimed that during the conversation, she put Cho on the phone, and that Cho asked him to state that he had authorized Cho's wife to issue a president's award certificate to her daughter. 

The nominee reportedly told the president that suspicions will be resolved if Choi makes the statement as he suggested. 

Earlier on Thursday, the president told reporters that Cho's wife asked him to state that he had authorized her to issue the award, but that he rejected the request. He added that it's impossible to issue an award under his name without his knowledge. 

An official from a team preparing for Cho's confirmation hearing, however, refuted Choi's accusations, saying that Cho did talk to Choi on the phone but only asked Choi to tell the truth about the case.