Prosecutors sought a five-year prison term for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk on Monday during an appellate trial on charges he used his influence to receive academic favors for his children and interfered with an inspection into a corruption case.

Prosecutors also sought a fine of 12 million won (US$9,200) and the forfeiture of 6 million won during the trial at the Seoul High Court, the same sentence demanded during the first trial.

"The defendant committed a crime by cheating through the use of his vested rights and networks," the prosecution said of the charges related to academic fraud.

On the charges he interfered with a corruption inspection, the prosecution said his action constituted a "grave crime that abused his power and betrayed the president's trust," but that the defendant has shown no remorse.

Cho was indicted in 2019 on a dozen charges, including fabricating various documents to help his two children get into universities and graduate schools and receiving bribes worth 6 million won in the form of a scholarship for his daughter.

He was later additionally indicted on charges of using his power as a presidential aide to end an inspection into bribery allegations involving a former Busan vice mayor.

In February this year, the Seoul Central District Court found him guilty of most of the charges and sentenced him to two years in prison while ordering he forfeit 6 million won.

Cho, a former celebrity law professor at the top-notch Seoul National University, served as senior presidential secretary for civil affairs from 2017 to 2019 during the Moon Jae-in administration.

He was appointed justice minister in September 2019 before stepping down about a month later amid the scandal surrounding his family. (Yonhap)