Choo Mi-ae Directly Addresses Kim Gun-hee 'Julie' and 'Deutsche Motors' Allegations
"Judged as Reasonable Suspicion... Raised Issues for the Public's Right to Know"
Responding to People Power Party's Legal Threats, "As a Presidential Candidate, Must Confidently Undergo Verification"
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Former Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae shared an article related to the so-called 'Julie Suspicion' surrounding Kim Gun-hee, the wife of presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol, prompting the People Power Party to announce legal action. In response, former Minister Chu retorted, "Last year, they said I raised Yoon Seok-yeol, so am I now raising Julie?"
On the night of the 8th, former Minister Chu posted on her Facebook, stating, "The media, which had been silent about the 'Julie Suspicion,' suddenly started reporting all at once when they (Yoon's camp) announced they would sue me."
Earlier that morning, former Minister Chu introduced a video from the YouTube channel 'Open Sympathy TV' dated the 6th, which dealt with the so-called 'Julie Suspicion,' saying, "The explanation from (Yoon's camp) about Julie was that there was 'no time for Julie.' But what about 'Jewelry'? Even hiding behind the curtain, a witness from the Jewelry days appeared."
In the video she shared, former President of the Korea Elementary School Taekwondo Association Ahn Hae-wook claimed that "in 1997, he visited the Ramada Renaissance Hotel nightclub and was entertained in the 6th-floor banquet hall at the invitation of Cho Nam-wook, then chairman of Sambu Construction, where he met CEO Kim Gun-hee, who used the stage name 'Julie' at the time." Ahn also mentioned that the woman's original stage name was 'Jewelry,' but it was shortened to 'Julie' over time.
As the controversy grew, the People Power Party responded with a rebuttal. Choi Ji-hyun, senior deputy spokesperson of the party's central election committee, issued a statement that day, saying, "Kim has absolutely never worked at a nightclub," and explained, "The broadcast introduced her as a 'part-time lecturer at ○○ University,' but in 1997, Kim was attending the Graduate School of Education at Sookmyung Women's University. The first time she knew the Ramada Renaissance chairman was much later."
Furthermore, they warned, "We will take strong legal action against the journalists who reported fake news and former Minister Chu, who publicly posted about it."
Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae shared her opinion on the so-called 'Julie' allegations on her Facebook on the night of the 8th. Photo by Former Minister Choo's Facebook capture
That morning, former Minister Chu also posted another message targeting the Deutsche Motors suspicion surrounding Kim. She said, "'Open Sympathy TV' is raising reasonable questions based on investigative results," and explained, "As a legal professional, I judge this as reasonable suspicion and raise the issue in the public's right to know."
She added, "Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Gun-hee, as public figures and presidential candidates, should confidently undergo verification, and threatening to sue instead is not a desirable attitude for democratic leaders."
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