Before the Hearing, 'Jeong Sun-shin's Son' Military Leave... Opposition Says "Coincidental"

Absent due to "Physical and Mental Weakness"... Military Reports "No Unusual Issues"
Location Difficult to Confirm as on Leave from Military
Kim Young-ho Calls It a "Trick to Avoid Accompaniment Order"

On the 14th, it was confirmed that the son of lawyer Jeong Soon-shin, who the National Assembly Education Committee tried to summon to the 'Jeong Soon-shin Hearing' even through a compulsory attendance order, is currently on leave from the military. The Democratic Party pointed out the background of the leave taken before the hearing as "coincidental" and criticized it as a "trick to avoid the compulsory attendance order."

On the same day, Yoo Ki-hong, chairman of the National Assembly Education Committee, stated at the 'Hearing for the Investigation of School Violence by Jeong Soon-shin’s Children and Establishment of Measures to Prevent Recurrence' held at the National Assembly in the morning, "The three people selected as witnesses on the 31st of last month (lawyer Jeong Soon-shin, his wife, and son) submitted letters of absence and ultimately did not attend today." He particularly mentioned Jeong’s son, saying, "This is something that needs to be clarified in the future, but Jeong is currently on leave from the military ahead of today’s hearing. In the military, leave is not something you can take whenever you want, right?"

Chairman Yoo added, "Nevertheless, he coincidentally took leave," and said, "There is suspicion that he took leave to avoid being located and strongly demanded to attend the hearing if he were on duty at the unit."

On the 14th, Attorney Jeong Sun-shin was absent from the hearing held by the National Assembly Education Committee to investigate the truth about school violence involving Jeong Sun-shin's children and to establish measures against school violence. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Kim Young-ho, the opposition party secretary of the National Assembly Education Committee, also criticized, "Jeong is currently serving as a sergeant in the Air Force. Although a National Assembly administrative officer personally visited the unit and delivered a summons to the unit commander, he was on leave ahead of the hearing," adding, "It appears to be a trick to avoid a possible compulsory attendance order."

Kim explained that he checked with the Air Force regarding Jeong’s claim of "severe mental and physical weakness due to extreme stress" stated in the letter of absence, judging that normal military life would be difficult, but received a response of "no special issues."

He then criticized, "Jeong, who claimed to be mentally and physically weak and unable to live normally, submitted a false document to the National Assembly."

Kim said, "The National Assembly demanded attendance even to the point of postponing the hearing, but it seems to be nothing more than a piece of paper," and pointed out, "What is the 'stress' submitted as the reason for absence to the National Assembly? Isn’t it the stress of having his school violence and behavior hiding behind the law exposed in this hearing, and the stress of not wanting to apologize?"

Kim emphasized, "Although the National Assembly lacks a compulsory attendance order, there is still the powerful September National Assembly audit," and said, "Although the Jeong Soon-shin family did not attend this hearing, as the opposition party secretary, I will call the Jeong Soon-shin family again during the September audit."

On the 14th, seats of ruling party lawmakers were empty at the hearing held by the National Assembly Education Committee to investigate the truth about school violence involving Jeong Soon-shin's children and to establish measures against school violence. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Chairman Yoo also expressed regret, saying, "The unit refuses to submit materials regarding when the leave started and the reasons for it," and promised, "I will try to obtain related materials from the relevant unit afterward."

Assembly member Kang Min-jung directed harsh words at the absent lawyer Jeong Soon-shin, saying, "The person who caused the victim student to suffer from panic disorder and be tormented by lawsuits was absent citing panic disorder," and added, "It is shocking that such a person almost became the head of the National Investigation Headquarters."

Kang scolded, "The hearing is not a reunion, and making the National Assembly hold the hearing twice because of himself and not showing up is an insult to the National Assembly and the people."

Independent Assembly member Min Hyung-bae also said, "(This Jeong Soon-shin children’s school violence incident) involved power-based school violence and a cover-up of power-based school violence," and added, "We will proceed as is today, but it is necessary to call at least one family member again to examine what structural problems this school violence has and what countermeasures should be prepared. If possible, please consider whether another hearing can be held."

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