So Su-jin: "Chu Mi-ae, you drank alcohol but are you saying it wasn't drinking?"

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is attending the Cabinet meeting held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Nah Han-ah] Jo Su-jin, a member of the People Power Party, criticized the prosecution's decision to dismiss the case regarding the 'military leave privilege suspicion' involving Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's son, saying, "So he drank alcohol, but it wasn't considered drinking?"

On the morning of the 29th, during a virtual party meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Rep. Jo stated, "The problem is that despite lies being confirmed in Minister Choo's statements to the National Assembly, all related parties were cleared of charges," adding, "It was revealed that Minister Choo gave her aide the phone number of the support officer to call regarding her son's military leave extension and received reports via KakaoTalk. This contradicts Minister Choo's repeated claims that the aide did not call the support officer."

People Power Party lawmaker Jo Soo-jin is speaking on the 29th at a virtual party meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, regarding the prosecution investigation into the vacation of Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's son, Seo Mo.
Photo by Yonhap News

On the same day, the People Power Party announced plans to push for a special prosecutor, stating that Minister Choo's claim that she "did not instruct the aide" was entirely false. Joo Ho-young, the party's floor leader, told reporters after the meeting, "The investigation by the Eastern District Prosecutors' Office is not only incomprehensibly flawed but also close to collusion and concealment," and urged, "We will file an appeal to the High Prosecutors' Office against this decision and pursue a special prosecutor in the National Assembly."

Previously, Minister Choo repeatedly denied that her aide had made any calls during the National Assembly's interpellation sessions. On the 1st, during the National Assembly Budget and Accounts Committee, when an opposition lawmaker asked, "Is it true that the aide called the military unit at that time?" she retorted, "Why would an aide be instructed to handle such personal matters?" Even after that, Minister Choo continued to insist that she did not instruct her aide to make any calls.