"Mom Minister Bringing New Year Blessings" Controversy Over Promotional Video of Chu Mi-ae and Kim Oh-soo Receiving New Year's Bows from Juvenile Offenders

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae receiving New Year's bows from juvenile detention center petitioners, Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Oh-soo [Photo by Ministry of Justice official YouTube capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] A video showing Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Deputy Minister Kim Oh-soo receiving New Year's bows (sebae) and giving envelopes from juvenile detainees at the Seoul Juvenile Detention Center has been posted online, sparking controversy.

According to the legal community on the 19th, the Ministry of Justice uploaded a video of Minister Choo and others visiting the Seoul Juvenile Detention Center for encouragement on the morning of the 25th, Lunar New Year's Day, to their official YouTube and social media accounts on the 31st of last month. The video has spread widely across various online communities for over two weeks, causing delayed controversy.

In the video, Minister Choo and Deputy Minister Kim receive New Year's bows from the detainees and give them envelopes containing hamburger coupons, which has led to criticism that this is "excessive promotion."

The Ministry of Justice created the video introduction with subtitles referring to Minister Choo as the "Mom Minister" and Deputy Minister Kim as the "Dad Deputy Minister." Then, the video shows Minister Choo arriving at the juvenile detention center. She said, "I think the juvenile detainees want to pay New Year's bows to their parents," adding, "They cannot go home, so I came with the mindset of playing the role of a mother, and our Deputy Minister playing the role of a father, encouraging them to start the new year thinking of their parents in their hometown."

After arriving at a prepared space, Minister Choo and Deputy Minister Kim sat side by side on floor cushions and received New Year's bows from the detainees. They then gave envelopes containing hamburger exchange coupons to each detainee. Deputy Minister Kim said, "Let me tell you a secret. Whenever I shake hands and give something, that person always succeeds. Since I shook hands and gave gifts to you all today, you will all really do well."

Following this, Minister Choo and Deputy Minister Kim ate rice cake soup (tteokguk) with the detainees in the cafeteria, gave a lecture, and concluded the official schedule for the day. At the end of the video, Minister Choo said in subtitles, "Before being a minister, I am also a mother," and added, "I will scold when necessary, teach when necessary, and send them back into a mother's embrace." Some netizens responded critically, posting comments such as, "Did they ask the detainees' consent before receiving the bows?" and "Do the minister and deputy minister have empathy?"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.