Controversy over justice minister continues over son's military service

Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae attends a cabinet meeting held at the Seoul Government Complex, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Lee Hyo-jin

Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae is facing continued controversy over her son's military service even after the prosecution cleared her of allegations that she had used her influence as a powerful politician to gain special favors for her son in 2017 while he was serving as a Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) soldier.

After a months-long investigation, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office announced Monday that it found no grounds to indict Choo, her 27-year-old son surnamed Seo, and her former aide surnamed Choi regarding Seo's military service as a KATUSA with the 2nd Infantry Division of the Eighth U.S. Army.

Choo has been under fire over allegations that she used her influence as the then chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea to seek special favors in extending her son's medical leave after he underwent knee surgery in June 2017.

Although the prosecution dropped the investigation into her for putting external pressure on officials to request leave, several text messages between Choo and her former aide, revealed through digital forensic investigation, are sparking fresh controversy, as the messages showed that the two had discussed extending Seo's medical leave, contradicting Choo's repeated denial of such an incident during a National Assembly interpellation session.

The messages sent by the former aide June 14 read, “We have already dealt with your son's case,” and “The doctor's prescription will be submitted as soon as we receive it.”

Choo had asked the aide to get in touch with her son in a message sent June 21, which also included contact information of a military officer. The aide replied, “We have asked to extend (Seo's) vacation. They will let us know after reviewing it as this is an exceptional case.”

According to records from the Ministry of National Defense, Seo went on sick leave from June 5 to 14 and again on 15 to 24, after which he took four more days of personal leave.

The prosecution investigation began after whistleblowers alleged that Seo did not return to his unit at the end of his second medical leave, even though his personal leave had yet to be approved. They claimed it was literally desertion.

The messages imply that Choo was at least aware of the fact the Seo's leave was being taken care of by her aide, and possibly had ordered the requested extension.

This was in contrast to what she told the National Assembly as she kept insisting, “Neither I nor my husband have ever made any orders to a secretary to make phone calls (regarding my son's leave).”

The prosecutors' office concluded that the text messages cannot be seen as clear evidence that Choo had directly intervened in the matter using her influence.

The main opposition People's Power Party (PPP) called the prosecution decision a “conspiracy” and “concealment,” saying it will push for a special prosecutor to unearth the truth behind the incident.

“The prosecution has covered up Choo's allegations instead of revealing detailed information on how she obtained the military officer's phone number and why she had passed it on to her ex-aide,” said Rep. Cho Soo-jin from the PPP.

They are also demanding Choo to be held accountable for giving false testimony at the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, Choo made a public apology through the ministry's spokesman Monday after the investigation was dropped, calling the suspicions “a groundless political attack”.

“I'd like to offer my apology for the trouble caused from groundless and reckless political attacks. I will now concentrate on completing the prosecution reforms through redistributing power and launching an independent investigative body targeting corruption by high-ranking officials,” she said.