The National Assembly Judiciary Committee Disrupted Over Chu Mi-ae's Refusal to Answer Current Issue Questions... Opposition Calls It a De Facto Outrage

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] A deadlock occurred in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee as the Future United Party's request for a current issue inquiry regarding Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae was not accepted.

On the 1st, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee convened a plenary meeting to approve the 2019 fiscal year settlement and the approval of supplementary budget expenditures, but the meeting was adjourned 15 minutes after opening as the inquiry requested by the United Party was not accepted.

Kim Do-eup, the United Party's secretary of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, requested a current issue inquiry related to Minister Choo's son and the audit of the Wolseong Unit 1 nuclear reactor, but Yoon Ho-jung, the committee chairman from the Democratic Party, rejected it, saying, "It should have been requested in advance."

As voices were raised between Kim, who did not relent in his demand, and Baek Hye-ryun, the Democratic Party's secretary, Chairman Yoon declared a recess, saying, "Secretaries should negotiate."

Members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee from the United Party held a separate press briefing, strongly protesting, saying, "We prepared a current issue inquiry after approving the settlement bill at today's plenary meeting, but the committee chairman deprived us of the opportunity to question," calling it "an unacceptable act and a de facto outrage."

Kim said, "Current issue inquiries are not a matter of agreement between the ruling and opposition parties," and added, "I asked Representative Baek to give me a chance to conduct the inquiry, but she flatly refused and left her seat," and said, "It seems today's meeting will not be reconvened."

Representative Jo Su-jin, who attended the press briefing, said regarding the suspicion that Minister Choo's aide requested an extension of her son's leave by phone, "It has been confirmed that as many as three people knew about this," and added, "Out of the total 23 days of leave, 20 days have no basis anywhere. This is an unprecedented case."

The United Party is reportedly planning to announce additional confirmed details related to Minister Choo's son through a press conference on the morning of the 2nd.

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