Choo Mi-ae's Remarks on 'Real Estate' Draw Strong Criticism from United Future Party as Politically Calculated

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is listening to Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun's opening remarks at the Cabinet meeting held via video conference between the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and the Sejong Government Complex on the 14th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The Future United Party has expressed caution over Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's unusual remarks related to real estate, calling it "political calculation."

On the 19th, after attending the 55th anniversary memorial service for former President Syngman Rhee, Floor Leader Joo Ho-young told reporters, "The Cabinet meeting can discuss all issues. One should express their opinions on the overall state affairs, but not doing so except for this issue (real estate) indicates political calculation."

Regarding the impeachment motion against Minister Choo that the United Party is preparing, he said, "We plan to submit it after considering the timing."

Earlier, Minister Choo suggested on Facebook that "finance and real estate are one entity," citing this as the cause of rising real estate prices, and proposed 'geumbunburi' (separation of finance and real estate) as a solution. When criticism followed her unusual remarks on real estate, she responded further, saying, "As a member of the Cabinet, the Minister of Justice can express opinions on major national policies."

In response, United Party spokesperson Bae Jun-young criticized, "Minister Choo, who is exerting all her efforts to pressure the establishment of the Public Office for Corruption Investigation (Gongsoocheo), which has no constitutional basis, and unprecedentedly shake the prosecution system, why is she involving herself in real estate measures outside her duties? Everyone finds this puzzling." He added, "If she intends to run in next year's local elections, she should not just make vague remarks on social network services (SNS) but should declare her position by Monday morning."

Professor Kim Geun-sik of Gyeongnam University, who is chairing the Future United Party’s National Intelligence Service Director nominee hearing advisory group, also pointed out, "Now that she is even giving advice on Seoul real estate policy, seeing that reporter Lee Dong-jae was arrested yesterday, do you think she considers her role as Minister of Justice effectively over?" He added, "Surely she won't switch from Minister of Justice to Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport after finishing her tasks, so it seems she has the Seoul mayoral election in mind."

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