Prosecutors Assign Defamation Complaint Against Choo's Son to Central District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] The prosecution has launched an investigation into Shin Wonsik, a member of the People Power Party, who was accused of defamation for raising suspicions about the military leave of Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's son, Seo Mo.

According to the legal community on the 21st, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office assigned the case, in which the civic group Judicial Justice Citizens' Action (Sasehaeng) accused Shin of defamation by spreading false information, to the Criminal Division 1 (Chief Prosecutor Byun Pilgeon).

Previously, Sasehaeng claimed that Shin abused parliamentary immunity to spread unfounded and exaggerated falsehoods regarding Seo's sick leave and vacation processing, damaging Seo's reputation, and that malicious media coverage distorted public opinion.

In particular, they stated, "Serious doubts have already been raised about the truthfulness of the accused's statements and the motive for the disclosure through interviews with former colleagues who served in the same company as Minister Choo's son and multiple rebuttal testimonies," adding, "Shin repeatedly made statements implying that there was solicitation and external pressure regarding the sick leave and vacation processing of Minister Choo's son, which the Minister of National Defense announced several times as legally proper according to regulations, without presenting objective evidence based on facts, thus providing a pretext for malicious media coverage."

Sasehaeng also filed complaints against retired Colonel Lee Cheolwon, former commander of the US Forces Korea Korean Support Group, who revealed that there was solicitation related to Seo's unit assignment and Olympic interpreter selection, and Hyun Mo, the duty officer at the time who claimed Seo's leave processing was preferential treatment.

The prosecution is expected to review the complaint and proceed with investigating the complainants.