The Supreme Court is set to rule next month in the case of minority opposition Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk, who was convicted of obstruction of business and power abuse last year. 

The hearing is expected to begin at 11:45 a.m. on December 12.

In February 2023, a lower court handed down a two-year prison term after finding the former justice minister under the Moon Jae-in administration guilty of misusing his influence to give his children an unfair advantage in the university admissions process, and of interfering with a bribery inspection involving a former vice mayor of Busan.

While an appellate court upheld his convictions in February this year, Cho was not detained due to the low risk that he would flee or destroy evidence.

While appealing his case to the top court, Cho ran in the April general election and his party won 12 proportional representation seats in the National Assembly.

If the Supreme Court upholds Cho’s convictions, he is expected to be stripped of his parliamentary seat and start serving his two-year sentence.