"Didn't send kids to the military? My son is in the Marine Corps"… Opposition party's 'Military Service Certification Shot' Relay

Song Seok-jun "Opposition Distorts Reality Claiming They Don't Understand Parents Who Sent Children to Military" Backlash

Photo of Gwak Sang-do, a member of the People Power Party, and his son (left) during military service. Photo of Song Seok-jun, a member of the same party, taken with his son (right). / Photo by Facebook Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Members of the People Power Party have started posting 'military service certification shots' of their children on social networking services (SNS). This is a reaction to claims that "children of People Power Party members did not serve in the military," which arose while the ruling party was defending Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae amid allegations of preferential treatment during her son's military service.

On the 11th, People Power Party lawmaker Jo Sujin wrote on her Facebook, "A unique contest is unfolding in the party members' group chat," adding, "Photos of male lawmakers themselves and their sons during their military service are being posted one after another."

Jo posted photos of the sons of fellow party members Kwak Sang-do and Song Seok-jun wearing military uniforms, saying, "At a glance, you can tell who is the father and who is the son," and added, "It is naturally important to raise daughters well, like three-star general Shin Won-sik and three-term metropolitan lawmaker Yoo Ui-dong, who have two and three daughters, respectively."

Earlier, on the 9th, lawmaker Song posted a photo on his Facebook with his son dressed in a Marine Corps uniform. At the time, Song criticized, "The parties involved in the preferential treatment controversy regarding Minister Choo's son and ruling party figures defending it try to gloss over the issue with pitiful excuses," and added, "Some even say, 'Opposition lawmakers have never sent their children to the military, so they don't understand the feelings of parents who have.' This is a clear distortion of reality."

He continued, "As someone who served as a Marine Corps public affairs officer, my son also wished to serve in the Marines," emphasizing, "My son endured unspeakable hardships in a tough position while carrying out his duties."

Kim Nam-guk, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, on the 7th, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Nam-guk criticized the opposition's attacks surrounding the vacation preferential treatment allegations involving Minister Choo's son, saying, "I will assume that many in the People Power Party have not served in the military. If they had, they wouldn't make such claims."

On that day, Kim said on Facebook, "Unit commanders do not ask soldiers on sick leave to return to the unit for additional leave requests," adding, "If a soldier has a reason when leaving initially, additional leave requests are processed retrospectively."

He further stated, "Is it a reasonable claim to ask a soldier who is hospitalized after surgery or recuperating at home due to illness to return to the unit to receive additional leave?" and urged, "Please stop the political attacks and wait for the investigation results. It's noisy and exhausting."

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