Yoo Sang-im, Son Faces Military Service Corruption and False Residence Registration Allegations
Candidate: "Sensitive Information but Submitted Data Transparently"
Opposition: "Candidate Yoo Should Voluntarily Resign... Yoon Must Withdraw Nomination"
Yoo Sang-im, the nominee for Minister of Science and ICT, stated that he "explained everything truthfully" regarding allegations related to his son's military service corruption.
On the 9th, Yoo released a statement saying, "At the closed session of the confirmation hearing held the previous day, I explained all the facts regarding my eldest son's military exemption process to members of both ruling and opposition parties truthfully and as they were." Yoo's eldest son had postponed several military service examinations citing studying abroad and overseas residence, eventually receiving a Grade 5 wartime labor service exemption (exemption from active duty) due to illness.
He added, "I also explained the illness that was the reason for hospitalization truthfully," and "The submitted documents to the National Assembly specify the name of the illness, which matches the reason for hospitalization that the nominee disclosed." He further stated, "Although it is sensitive personal medical information, all submitted documents were provided without redaction in accordance with the purpose of the confirmation hearing."
Yoo said, "As a parent of a sick child, I feel sorry for not being able to take better care, and as a father, I am heartbroken that personal information was disclosed without my son's consent," adding, "I hope people widely understand that children do not always turn out as their parents wish."
Earlier that morning, members of the ruling Democratic Party and the Justice Innovation Party on the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee jointly called for Yoo's voluntary resignation and President Yoon Suk-yeol's withdrawal of his nomination, arguing that Yoo lacks both expertise and morality to serve as minister.
Opposition lawmakers claimed that while reviewing documents related to the eldest son's military exemption, they found Yoo's responses to prior written inquiries were inconsistent with the facts. Regarding the son's illegal stay in the U.S. in February 2013, Yoo explained it was due to a specific illness, but it was revealed that the son was hospitalized through forced admission rather than being diagnosed with an illness.
They also cited Yoo's admission of his eldest and second sons' false address registrations as evidence. In particular, they pointed out that the second son was registered at the residence of Yoo Sang-beom, a member of the People Power Party and Yoo's younger brother, stating, "At that time, the nominee was a professor at Seoul National University, and Yoo Sang-beom was a prosecutor," and added, "This means that a public official and a person with a status equivalent to a public official colluded to commit an illegal act."
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