Apology for "Solo Offender" Expression as It Caused Excessive Hurt Feelings
Hwang Hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference on the afternoon of the 29th at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul, officially apologizing to Party Duty Soldier A, who raised allegations related to the son of Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae. / Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] On the 29th, Hwang Hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who had previously described Hyun Mo, the on-duty soldier who first raised allegations of special leave privileges during the military service of Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's son Seo Mo, as a "sole perpetrator," apologized, saying, "I apologize for the emotional hurt caused by the excessive expression."
Earlier, Hyun's side had warned Minister Choo and Representative Hwang, saying, "If you do not apologize within a few days, we will prove the falsehood with a recording."
At a National Assembly press conference that day, Representative Hwang said, "Even if it was done in the interest of the public's right to know, or without any ill intent, if the on-duty soldier was harmed, I should apologize," adding, "I apologize for the emotional hurt caused by the excessive expression."
He continued, "All matters started from the on-duty soldier's testimony, and my intention was to emphasize the malicious intent of the People Power Party who exploited it."
Regarding the description of Hyun as a "sole perpetrator," he said, "As a politician, I emphasized claims about the behind-the-scenes forces, which resulted in an excessive expression. I have corrected this part."
He also said, "I hope he returns to his daily life as soon as possible, completes his graduate studies well, and plans his future. Please feel free to contact me anytime if you need my humble help."
Representative Hwang also asked Democratic Party supporters to refrain from excessive criticism of Hyun.
He emphasized, "Please refrain from excessive attention and attacks on the on-duty soldier. As everyone knows, the on-duty soldier can only speak to what he knows, and those who exploited that are the bad ones. If you truly cherish President Moon Jae-in and the Democratic Party, it is right to reduce interest in this person and protect him so that he can return to his daily life quickly."
Earlier, on the 12th, Representative Hwang mentioned Hyun's real name on his Facebook post, stating, "The People Power Party's grounds for accusing Minister Choo were solely based on the on-duty soldier's tip-off. It was the start of an absurd incident, and the on-duty soldier went into hiding. Judging by his words and actions, he cannot be seen as a sole perpetrator."
He urged, "A thorough investigation of the on-duty soldier is necessary, and the accomplice forces must also be thoroughly identified."
Representative Hwang is questioning at the confirmation hearing for candidate Won In-chul, Chief of Staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held on the 18th at the National Defense Committee in Yeouido, Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News
However, some pointed out that Representative Hwang recklessly mentioned Hyun's real name and that this could stigmatize the whistleblower as a criminal.
As the controversy grew, Representative Hwang wrote on Facebook the next day (the 13th) that his intention was to attack the People Power Party, not Hyun, and that the expression was excessive.
He said, "The most mentioned parts are the 'real name disclosure' and the 'sole perpetrator' expression. Accepting your criticism and feedback, I immediately revised the expressions to 'Corporal Hyun' and 'responsibility,' respectively."
He added, "Regarding the real name disclosure, the face and name of Corporal Hyun had already been revealed in the media, so I did not attach much significance to mentioning it. However, since Hyun might not have known about it, I corrected it."
Meanwhile, on the 28th, Hyun's side demanded an apology from Minister Choo and Representative Hwang and warned that legal action would be taken if they did not apologize.
Kim Youngsoo, director of the Defense Rights Research Institute and former defense investigator at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, representing Hyun's position, wrote on Facebook that day, "It has been confirmed that the claims by those who said the on-duty soldier did not call Minister Choo's son Seo are outright lies. Whether officially or unofficially, if you do not apologize for the facts revealed by the prosecution's investigation, I will hold the responsible parties accountable to the end, including filing defamation lawsuits, regardless of who they are."
He emphasized, "Also, we will prove that the falsehood is false by releasing the recording. If there is no apology within a few days, I will disclose the evidence and recording on Facebook and endure any disadvantages that may come."
According to multiple media reports, the prosecution issued a press release on the same day regarding the "allegation report case related to the leave of the Minister of Justice's son," confirming that Seo received a return request call from Hyun during his leave. It is reported that Seo immediately asked aide A to process an extension of his regular leave after the call.
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