Son's Military Service Re-examination Raises Academic Fraud Suspicion... Jeong Ho-young's Side Claims "Military Manpower Administration Mistake"

by Oh Kuemin

Published 18 Apr.2022 20:19(KST)

Updated 18 Apr.2022 20:44(KST)

"The son did not fill it out and it had no influence on the enlistment decision"

Health and Welfare Minister nominee Jeong Ho-young is holding a press conference to clarify allegations related to preferential treatment for his child's medical school transfer admission and military service corruption on the 17th at the auditorium of the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] Allegations have been raised that the son of Jeong Ho-young, nominee for Minister of Health and Welfare, falsified his educational background during his military service re-examination. In response, Jeong's camp denied the claims, stating it was a "mistake by the Military Manpower Administration."

According to the office of Choi Hye-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 18th, it was revealed that in November 2015, Jeong's son's educational background was recorded as "graduated from a 6-year university" on the military service disposition notice.

There is a possibility that listing a 4-year university as a 6-year university could have extended the enlistment deferral by an additional two years. At that time, Jeong's son was enrolled in the Department of Electronic Engineering at Kyungpook National University, which is a 4-year university.

However, the nomination preparation team for the Minister of Health and Welfare rebutted on the same day through explanatory materials, stating, "The candidate's son did not specify this, and it was a clerical error by the Military Manpower Administration."

The preparation team also stated that the incorrect information "had no impact on the calculation of the enlistment deferral period, the decision to defer, or any enlistment decisions."

According to the preparation team, Jeong's son underwent his first physical examination in November 2010 and applied for enlistment deferral due to taking the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which deferred his enlistment until March 2012.

Subsequently, upon entering a 4-year university, his enlistment was automatically deferred until November 2015 as he maintained student status.

The preparation team explained that Jeong's son was notified of a re-examination in October 2015, five years after the initial physical, through which he received a grade 4 classification.