"I am the Duty Soldier" Youth Anger Over 'Choo's Son Controversy'... Negative Evaluation of Moon Precedes

Anger Among 20s and Housewives... President Moon's Negative Rating Reenters 50% Range
Youth: "Cho Kuk, InGukGong, Now Chu's Son Unfairness Controversy" Outrage
Kim Jong-in: "Chu Mi-ae, Super Spreader of Unfairness Virus"

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, during her tenure as the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea in September 2017, visited the 9th Army Division Tank Battalion, rode a tank, and gave a thumbs-up. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "We are the duty soldiers!", "How many times has there been unfairness controversy under the Moon Jae-in administration!"

There is an outpouring of condemnation from young people in their 20s and 30s regarding the allegations of preferential military leave granted to the son of Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae. In particular, they are showing solidarity by saying "I am the duty soldier" in response to conspiracy theories suggesting that Mr. Hyun, who first raised the allegations, might have been politically motivated.

Coincidentally, a public opinion poll released on the 14th involving President Moon Jae-in and the Democratic Party showed a decline in support among people in their 20s. Support also dropped among housewives by occupation, indicating that people in their 20s and 50s are critical of the allegations of preferential treatment during Minister Choo's son's military service. The opposition party has called for Minister Choo's resignation.

According to a survey conducted by Realmeter commissioned by YTN from the 7th to the 11th, involving 2,521 voters nationwide, the positive evaluation of President Moon's administration dropped by 2.5 percentage points from the previous week to 45.6%.

Negative evaluations rose by 1.9 percentage points to 50.0%. This is the first time in three weeks since the third week of August that negative evaluations have entered the 50% range.

The gap between positive and negative evaluations is 4.4 percentage points, which is outside the margin of error (95% confidence level ±2.0 percentage points). This is also the first time in three weeks that the gap has widened beyond the margin of error.

Positive evaluations of President Moon decreased significantly in the Busan-Gyeongnam region (37.8%, down 5.9 percentage points), among men (42.2%, down 6.6 percentage points), and in the 50s age group (45.4%, down 3.4 percentage points).

◆ Allegations of preferential military leave during Minister Choo's son's service... Did 20s, 50s, and housewives turn away?

Especially among people in their 20s, the positive evaluation rate was the lowest among all age groups at 36.6% (down 2.4 percentage points). By occupation, housewives (39.5%, down 9.8 percentage points) and students (34.0%, down 5.7 percentage points) showed significant declines compared to the previous week.

Realmeter analyzed that the surge in allegations of military leave requests involving Minister Choo's son during the survey period affected the support of groups sensitive to military service issues.

The survey was conducted using a mixed method of wireless telephone interviews (10%), wireless (70%) and landline (20%) automated responses, with random dialing through a sampling frame combining 80% wireless and 20% landline phones.

Army soldier. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The problem is that this is not the first time that condemnation of "unfairness" has erupted among young people under the Moon Jae-in administration. Previously, during the "Cho Kuk incident" and the controversy over the regularization of irregular workers at Incheon International Airport Corporation (In-gukgong), voices criticizing fairness issues also emerged.

Lee, a university student in his 20s, criticized the ruling party and government, saying, "Young people in their 20s keep talking about 'fairness' under the Moon Jae-in administration, but I want to ask why the same criticisms keep coming up." He added, "If this is 'fairness' and 'justice,' then it is wrong."

Kim, a company employee in his 30s, also said, "I think the bigger criticism comes because of President Moon's statement that 'opportunities are equal, processes are fair, and results are just.'" He added, "We had high expectations, but seeing these results, young people seem angry." He further said, "Looking at the 'In-gukgong' incident, you can understand what young people are angry about. Why do they keep repeating mistakes?"

As the anger of young people over fairness controversies continues, stronger criticism is emerging from those in their 20s and 30s after a ruling party member's remarks suggested that Mr. Hyun, who first raised the allegations of preferential military leave during Minister Choo's son's service, might have political motives. This is similar to the situation where the 'In-gukgong' incident was dismissed as a controversy stemming from some 'fake news.'

On the 10th, Hwang Hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated at the National Assembly Communication Office that the military leave period of Seo, the son of Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, followed proper legal procedures. [Yonhap News]

On the 12th, Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Hee posted on his Facebook, mentioning the real name of the duty soldier and stating, "The People's Power's grounds for accusing Minister Choo are based on the duty soldier's report," and called for "a thorough investigation."

Lawmaker Hwang said, "Looking at the words and actions of Mr. Hyun (then duty soldier), it is impossible to see him as a lone offender," and "The accomplices involved in this process must be thoroughly identified."

He added, "The public will continue to pursue whether the purpose and intent of that group is simply to block prosecutorial reform or to split and divide South Korea again and incite confusion," emphasizing, "Those who divide the people, waste national power, and plunge the country into chaos must be uncovered and eradicated."

This is a kind of conspiracy theory suggesting that there is a political motive behind whistleblower Mr. Hyun's report, aimed at obstructing prosecutorial reform.

Calligraphy in brush script reading "Today I am the party duty soldier" posted by Kim Woong, a member of the People Power Party, on Facebook. / Photo by Facebook

◆ "I am the duty soldier," "I am Corporal Hyun" - Youth anger at political conspiracy theories

In response to Lawmaker Hwang's claim that the report could be politically motivated, even revealing the whistleblower's real name, young people are launching movements such as "I am the duty soldier" and "We are Corporal Hyun."

Kim, a late 20s office worker who served as an army corporal, criticized, "After revealing the whistleblower's real name, they are politically damaging the content of the report itself," calling it "a clear obstruction by the Democratic Party." He emphasized, "We are all that duty soldier, and this time, let's see how the ruling party responds."

The opposition party also immediately voiced criticism. On the 14th, People's Power lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung said on Facebook, "The Democratic Party is doing a 'I am Choo Mi-ae' campaign, but we are doing a 'I am the duty soldier' campaign." Ha said, "The 'Yojeumgeot Research Institute,' which I direct, has decided to launch the 'I am the duty soldier' campaign," adding, "It was proposed by fellow party member Kim Woong, and the Yojeumgeot Research Institute will participate. Pro-Moon supporters should work hard on their 'I am Choo Mi-ae' campaign."

He continued, "Let's ask the public who represents the value of fairness in South Korea, Minister Choo or the duty soldier, and who represents privilege," and said, "As part of the 'I am the duty soldier' campaign, the Yojeumgeot Research Institute will provide legal advice and free defense if the duty soldiers want it. The Democratic Party treats duty soldiers as criminals, but we consider them heroes who uphold the value of fairness in South Korea."

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 14th. Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, the People's Power has called for Minister Choo's resignation over the allegations related to her son.

On the 14th, Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman of People's Power, criticized at a National Assembly meeting, "Our country is currently fighting two viruses: COVID-19 and unfairness," and said, "Under the Moon Jae-in administration, the Minister of Justice has become a super-spreader of the unfairness virus."

He added, "The former Minister of Justice touched a nerve of public sentiment with education issues, and the current Minister of Justice is doing so with unfair preferential treatment during military service," and "The sense of loss of fairness among youth is spreading greatly because of this."

Kim pointed out, "The ruling party is revealing the real name of the young person who reported the 'mom's chance' emperor-like military leave, calling him a lone offender or accomplice," and said, "Instead of resolving the situation, they are pouring fuel on the angry public sentiment."

He added, "There is a strong voice criticizing that the government and ruling party are collectively infected with the unfairness virus," and said, "The fallacy that it is cheating and privilege when others do it, but fairness when they do it themselves, has become normalized, turning the government into a monster regime that does not fear the people."

Kim said, "The final destination of the unfair preferential treatment controversy is the president. Trying to cover up this incident means thinking that it is okay to ignore the people and defeat them," and said, "The president must clearly state his position and manage the Minister of Justice according to the people's expectations."

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