Poet Ryu Keun Defends Cho Jin-woong... “Who Among the Youth Has Never Been Near a Juvenile Detention Center?”

[The Financial News] Poet Ryu Keun has come to the defense of actor Cho Jin-woong (49, Cho Won-jun), who announced his retirement due to his juvenile criminal record.
On the 8th, Ryu Keun wrote on his Facebook, "I don't really want to get involved, but I've been hearing a lot about actor Cho Jin-woong. In the end, I say, just ignore the noise," adding, "Who among the youth has never even been near a Juvenile Detention Center?"
He continued, "People change and grow, as my neighborhood's Hegel would say. While what someone did in their youth may be important, why don't people care more about how he is living now?"
"Have you forgotten that 20 million people in our country have criminal records? Let's not do this. Why is our community so ignorant about proper evaluation of reflection and action? Let's not embarrass ourselves. Let's ask how he is living today," he emphasized.
He also remarked, "Cho Jin-woong retiring? That's arrogant. Even Cho Hee-dae hasn't retired—retiring because of the past?" referencing Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae.
Meanwhile, on the 5th, Dispatch reported, based on tips, that Cho Jin-woong had been sent to a Juvenile Detention Center for crimes such as car theft and sexual assault during high school. The report also stated that he had previous records of assault and drunk driving after debuting as an actor.
As the controversy grew, Cho Jin-woong, through his agency Saram Entertainment, released a statement: "I deeply apologize to everyone who believed in and supported me for the disappointment caused by my disgraceful past. I humbly accept all criticism and, as of today, will cease all activities and mark the end of my acting career."
He added, "I believe this is the responsibility and duty I must bear for my past mistakes. From now on, I will do my best to reflect and stand upright as a person."
His agency stated, "After confirming with the actor, we acknowledge that he did make mistakes as a minor. However, we want to make it clear that he was not involved in any acts related to sexual assault."
newssu@fnnews.com Kim Soo-yeon Reporter