[Reporter’s Notebook] Minister Choo Mi-ae Must Clarify ‘Mom Chance’ Allegations

Seokjin Choi, Head of the Legal Affairs Team

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The prosecution’s decision to clear Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, her former aide, and her son Seo Mo regarding the controversy over her son’s ‘emperor vacation’ was expected.

That expectation grew stronger after it was revealed that the prosecution omitted a key witness’s decisive testimony from the investigation records during the inquiry.

The prosecutor and investigator responsible for that omission were later transferred to other prosecution offices, but the prosecution called them back to lead the investigation. After this news spread, the expectation turned into near certainty.

Even setting aside a series of suspicious circumstances, it might have been difficult to expect a fair investigation from the moment Kim Kwan-jung, then head of the Criminal Division at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, who opposed Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol and supported Minister Choo’s position in the ‘media collusion’ case, was promoted to head of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office.

Kim, the district prosecutor, was even suspected of opposing the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office’s plan to raid Samsung Seoul Hospital, which issued Seo’s medical certificate, and instead having the related documents submitted voluntarily.

At least, the prosecution included in the investigation results the KakaoTalk messages exchanged between Minister Choo and her former aide found on the aide’s mobile phone. According to these, Minister Choo gave the aide the contact information of a support officer and instructed him to get in touch with her son Seo. The aide reported to Minister Choo, “I have already requested an extension once more.”

The prosecution concluded from the materials that “Minister Choo only asked the aide to check Seo’s situation” and “there was no instruction to extend the sick leave.”

However, during parliamentary questioning and other occasions, Minister Choo repeatedly denied the opposition lawmakers’ questions such as “Did you get involved in your son’s vacation issue?” and “Did you instruct your aide to call?” She even showed anger, saying, “Why would an aide take instructions on such a personal matter?”

Regardless of legality, the demand that Minister Choo bear political and moral responsibility for these false statements is reasonable.

Whether she wants it or not, Minister Choo is widely expected to advance to a larger political stage. Circumstances supporting the speculation that she will run for the next Seoul mayor, riding on the achievement of prosecutorial reform, have largely been created by Minister Choo herself.

We await Minister Choo’s next Facebook message.