Seolhun: "Minister Chu and spouse, they must have called personally... We should understand"

Seol Hoon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is questioning at the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee's audit held at the Ministry of Employment and Labor in the Government Sejong Complex, Sejong City, in 2019. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Amid the disclosure of a 'Ministry of National Defense document' presumed to be related to a complaint filed by Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and her husband regarding their son's military leave, Seol Hoon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, claimed, "If the minister and her husband went so far as to file a complaint, that story could actually be a reversal proving that the minister and her husband have no wrongdoing."

On the 10th, Seol appeared on TBS Radio's "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory" and said, "Isn't the party leader (Choo Mi-ae, Democratic Party leader in 2017) a citizen of the Republic of Korea? Didn't she follow the official procedure to file the complaint? How could she file it herself when she was hospitalized due to leg pain?"

He added, "(Minister Choo's son, Mr. Seo) had surgery at Samsung Central Hospital before enlistment and also underwent surgery there after enlisting," and said, "Although the surgery was completed, anyone can reasonably understand that he was not in a condition to serve in the military afterward. So, he tried to get more sick leave but was denied, and then used personal leave. The claim of 'special treatment leave' is nonsense of the highest order."

He continued, "It's not common for young soldiers to have knee pain. It's a very special case," and raised his voice, saying, "(Mr. Seo) was permitted to go out for surgery. There was nothing against the regulations."

In response, Hong Moon-pyo, a member of the People Power Party who appeared on the program with him, said, "Among the 60,000 to 70,000 soldiers in Korea, how many do you think have knee pain? Would all of them be allowed to go out for treatment? That is special treatment," and criticized, "Ordinary soldiers cannot do that. This is because he is the party leader's son, an overreach, and favoritism."

Seol responded, "Ordinary soldiers do that too. This situation arose because they forcibly covered it up and turned black into white," and "He followed all procedures properly, completed surgery, served 21 months, and was discharged. What wrongdoing is there? He followed the legal regulations, and if someone says it's nonsense and blames him, not only is that a fabrication, but even worse stories could come out," he said.

He added, "In unfair situations, the side claiming unfairness should be heard. But looking at the media now, none of it is accepted. Of course, Minister Choo is responding strongly, so I think that's why," and said, "But if you think you are being treated unfairly, wouldn't you act like that? I believe we must deeply understand that."

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is leaving her home in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 10th.
Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, on the 9th, according to multiple media reports, a document presumed to have been prepared within the Ministry of National Defense titled 'Status of the Minister of Justice's Son's Military Service' stated that Minister Choo and her husband "inquired about ways to extend the sick leave since (Mr. Seo's) sick leave had ended but his body had not yet recovered."

This raised suspicions that Minister Choo, during her time as the Democratic Party leader in June 2017, may have directly called military officials to pressure them to extend Mr. Seo's sick leave while he was serving in KATUSA and recovering from knee surgery.