Opposition Highlights Jeon Hae-cheol's 'Real Estate Issue'... "Someone at the Core of Pro-Moon Faction Living in a 50-Pyeong?"

Son Exempted from Active Duty: "Sent Home After Complaining of Pain Post-Enlistment"

Minister of the Interior and Safety nominee Jeon Hae-cheol is attending the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee plenary session on the 22nd, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] On the 22nd, the People Power Party focused on real estate issues during the confirmation hearing for Jeon Hae-cheol, the nominee for Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

People Power Party lawmaker Seo Beom-su pointed out that instead of the 43-pyeong apartment Jeon purchased, he lived in a 50-pyeong apartment within the same complex on a jeonse lease, saying, "The 43-pyeong and 50-pyeong have the same room layout and number. The reason for moving is not convincing." Jeon previously purchased one apartment (43 pyeong) in Dogok Rexle Apartments, Dogok-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul for 680 million KRW, did not live there, and sold it for 2.2 billion KRW in 2018, 13 years later.

Lawmaker Seo criticized, "President Moon Jae-in said that four people can live in 13 pyeong, so for a key figure in the pro-Moon faction to say that 43 pyeong was too small and moved to 50 pyeong does not align with public sentiment," adding, "Isn't this hypocritical? Do you have anything to say to the public?"

Nominee Jeon responded, "I understand there is some dispute over the facts regarding the President's statement," and said, "43 pyeong is definitely not too small for five people to live." He added, "I was taking care of my mother, and since the room was smaller than the one we lived in before, I thought it would be better for the family to live in a space of almost the same size."

Regarding the background of his eldest son living alone in the 43-pyeong apartment after moving to Ansan, Jeon said, "My child had been living in Gangnam where I worked as a lawyer since elementary school, and since my son was a high school senior at the time of moving to Ansan, I thought transferring schools was not realistic."

Jeon's eldest son’s exemption from active duty due to Grade 5 wartime labor service (spinal scoliosis) also became an issue. He was subject to Grade 4 public service personnel conscription in 2013, but after being called up in 2015, he was sent home following a re-examination.

Park Hyung-su, a People Power Party lawmaker who appeared in place of Lee Young, who is in self-quarantine, requested submission of X-ray data, saying, "In 2013, the spinal curvature was 38°, but at the re-examination, it was 42°." Lawmaker Choi Chun-sik claimed that being classified as sent home from Nonsan Training Center was "a very rare case," adding, "The training center does not make such judgments." In response, nominee Jeon stated, "After entering the Nonsan Training Center, I kept complaining of pain, so according to regulations, there seems to be a measure to conduct a re-examination within 5 to 7 days."