Anchor: Prosecutors raided the residence of Justice Minister Cho Kuk on Monday, accelerating their investigation into allegations surrounding his family. Based on files that were seized, the prosecution could move to charge the minister for his suspected involvement in his family's alleged misconduct.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on Monday raided Justice Minister Cho Kuk's home to obtain computer hard drives and files concerning various corruption allegations involving his family.

Prosecutors have reportedly been collecting documents regarding allegations that the minister's daughter entered prestigious universities on the back of exaggerated internships and forged certificates.

The minister's wife, Chung Kyung-shim, was indicted on related charges of fabricating private documents earlier this month.

The Cho family also faces allegations surrounding a dubious investment into a private equity fund.

This is the first time prosecutors raided a location directly linked to Cho since launching the probe into his family last month, and the first time that they raided the residence of a justice minister, who oversees administrative and personnel matters of the prosecution.

While the subject and scope of Monday's raid have not been confirmed, it's believed that prosecutors may have presented materials to the court linking Cho to the alleged misconduct.

Prosecutors obtained testimony from the Cho family's former asset manager, who said the minister thanked him after he switched hard drives on Chung's personal computer soon after the prosecution began its probe.

Prosecutors are looking into booking Chung on charges of instigating the destruction of evidence, as well as minister Cho for his alleged abetting of such an act.

Prosecutors also raided law schools at Ajou University and Chungbuk National University, as well as Yonsei University and Ewha Womans University for admissions documents submitted by both the minister's daughter and son.

The investigation is now focused on finding out whether internship certificates issued to Cho's children from Seoul National University, where Cho is a professor, were forged and if the minister played a role in the alleged fabrication.

Chung is expected to be summoned for questioning as early as this week for allegedly intervening in the establishment and management of the family fund. If Minister Cho is found to have been aware of his wife's suspected wrongdoing, he could face charges of violating public officials' ethics laws.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.