When Accused of 'Son's Leave' Controversy... Choo Mi-ae Says, "Investigate Immediately"

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is attending the full meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 25th, reviewing documents. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae raised her voice, saying "Investigate immediately" when questioned about allegations that her son did not return from military leave.

On the 25th, during the National Assembly Judiciary Committee session, Minister Choo responded to a question from Jeon Ju-hye of the United Future Party, saying, "If an investigation is conducted, the truth will come out."

Rep. Jeon analyzed the leave records of 4,600 KATUSA (Korean Augmentation To the United States Army) soldiers and identified soldiers with the surname Seo, which is the same as Minister Choo's son, but pointed out that there was no record of sick leave taken in May 2017, the period when the issue of not returning from leave arose. During the hearing, Rep. Jeon questioned Minister Choo's statement that her son "obtained sick leave to undergo surgery," asking, "Did Minister Choo lie during the hearing, or did the Military Manpower Administration or the Ministry of National Defense conceal the data?"

In response, Minister Choo said, "Due to the Personal Information Protection Act, the data could not be obtained, so it seems that an estimate was made externally, but the prosecution should investigate immediately." When Rep. Jeon urged her to "exercise command authority," she replied again, "If an investigation is conducted, the truth will come out."

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