"Harsh" vs "Okay": Cho Kuk's 'Harsh Words' Controversy, What Do You Think?

Choo Mi-ae's "You're Writing Novels" Remark Sparks Chaos in Legislation and Judiciary Committee
"So What?" Heated Debate Also Erupts During Prior Government Questioning Session

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is speaking at the plenary meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the morning of the 27th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] The tone of Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae has sparked controversy not only in political circles but also among citizens, with mixed evaluations emerging. Some criticize her for having a "rough tongue," while others see no problem at all. Previously, Minister Choo dismissed criticisms about the so-called ministerial language decorum as misplaced.

The recent controversy over Minister Choo's remarks occurred during the plenary session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 27th. On that day, Yoon Han-hong, a member of the United Future Party, asked Deputy Minister Ko Ki-young whether he had gone easy on the investigation into Minister Choo's son's alleged failure to return from military leave during his time as head of the Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, implying that this was why he became deputy minister. Minister Choo responded by saying, "You're writing fiction." This led to loud exchanges between the ruling and opposition parties, resulting in a clash. Ultimately, the committee session ended in disruption.

Immediately after the controversy, Jang Je-won, a member of the United Future Party, posted on his Facebook, saying, "Where will Minister Choo's arrogance and pride end?" He added, "Whenever Minister Choo comes to the National Assembly, it becomes a mess. This is an incident that insults the National Assembly where she served for 20 years, spits on the people's hall, and insults the citizens." He then called for an apology from Minister Choo.

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is attending and responding to the government questioning on politics, diplomacy, unification, and security held at the National Assembly plenary session on the 22nd.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

This is not the first time Minister Choo's remarks have sparked heated debate. On the 22nd, during a government questioning session, when Kim Tae-heum of the United Future Party pointed out the expression "sumyeongja" (survivor) in Minister Choo's directive, she responded, "So what?" which drew strong protests from opposition lawmakers.

At that time, loud voices such as "Speak only if you know what you're talking about" and "Why is the speaker staying silent?" erupted from both ruling and opposition seats, causing a commotion. When Kim said, "The state of the country shows that fairness and justice have collapsed. That's why impeachment was pursued," Minister Choo retorted, "Isn't that an abuse of power by the opposition?"

The controversy surrounding Minister Choo's remarks also surfaced during her confrontation with Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. Amid conflicts over prosecutorial personnel appointments, the investigation into former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, and the probe into collusion between the prosecution and media, Minister Choo publicly stated, "Prosecutor General Yoon cut off half of the minister's instructions," "If the minister's words were followed, things would have gone smoothly, but (Yoon) complicated matters under the guise of command," and "I've never seen a justice minister work with a prosecutor general who doesn't listen." These remarks led to criticism that the minister's language lacked decorum.

Yoon Seok-yeol, Prosecutor General [Photo by Yonhap News]

As a result, opinions among citizens about Minister Choo's remarks are divided. A man in his 40s, A, who said he regularly follows news about Minister Choo, stated, "I don't recall any public official who reveals their personality and tone so openly," and added, "Even if you want to say such things, I hope you consider whether the public might feel repelled or if the content could cause misunderstandings before speaking."

On the other hand, some prioritize the intent of the remarks over their decorum. B, a company employee in his 30s, said, "Isn't this just nitpicking? As long as it's not profanity, I don't see a problem," and added, "I think the criticism is because she's a 'minister,' but personally, I find it easier to understand the Ministry of Justice's direction. It's easier to understand because she doesn't beat around the bush."

Amid the controversy over the minister's language decorum, Minister Choo responded on her Facebook on June 27, saying, "If you criticize the minister's language decorum, you are mistaken."

She added, "Does this mean the media is that uncomfortable? I don't know if the essence of the collusion between the prosecution and media will be covered up by blaming it on the minister's political ambition or by deflecting with claims that the minister is low-class."

Minister Choo also said, "If you expect solemnity in every word spoken at a casual gathering where senior party members share experiences with junior members, I accept that the reality was different from that expectation," but emphasized, "Isn't prosecutorial reform and media reform more important than decorum?" dismissing the controversy over her language decorum.

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