Ditching Private Seo

By Choi Sung-jin

A single “military-related” issue dominated four days of interpellation during the 21st National Assembly's first regular session last week.

Some foreign watchers of Korean affairs might think that North Korea have resumed armed provocations or something. That's not the case. Nor did it involve the Moon Jae-in administration's mid-term arms buildup program involving its wish list of nuclear-powered submarines, light aircraft carriers, or the Korean version of the Iron Dome ― Israel's missile defense shield.

The fierce verbal battles between lawmakers and government officials were actually about one soldier and his sick leave.

The big issue is that ex-soldier is the son of the incumbent justice minister, Choo Mi-ae.

The former serviceman, referred to simply by his surname, Seo, was a member of the Korean Augmentation Troops to the U.S. Army (KATUSA). Among Korean soldiers, the acronym is synonymous with easy and comfortable assignments.

According to The Korea Times, Seo had knee surgery in 2015 and joined the army a year later for his mandatory military service that would end in 2018. In June 2017, some eight months after Seo enlisted, he took two consecutive periods of sick leave ― a combined 19 days ― for repeat surgery and an additional four days of annual personal leave. However, it is alleged that there are no records to back up 13 of the 23 days of total leave which is considered unusually long for an enlisted man.

Now that the prosecution's probe is underway, the truth will be out soon. Some media reports say Seo's unit commander might have given verbal approval at the request of an aide to Choo, then chairperson of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). In that case, the controversy is likely to end up another storm in a teacup. Even if it doesn't, was the controversy so important as to eclipse all other economic, diplomatic and social issues, such as getting COVID-19 under control, reviving the pandemic-stricken economy, and dealing with the Japanese government led by new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga?

The reason was clear. The conservative opposition People Power Party (PPP) wants to oust Justice Minister Choo, who has spearheaded President Moon Jae-in's plan to reform ― i.e., weaken ― the all too powerful prosecution, another conservative group that monopolizes the right to investigate and indict. The PPP has a good excuse: Upon his inauguration in May 2017, President Moon said, “During my time in office, opportunities will be equal, processes will be fair, and results will be just.”

As if by unhappy coincidence, however, Moon's past and present “justice” ministers have become entangled in scandals concerning their children. Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk is now on trial mainly due to a controversy surrounding his daughter's admission to a medical college. President Moon, known for his unwavering faith in his subordinates, stood by Cho, saying he had a “debt of gratitude” to the latter. The President did largely the same with the incumbent justice minister on Monday, entering a conference room side by side with Choo to demonstrate his confidence in her job performance. Moon may be a good boss, but far from a shrewd ― or efficient ― national leader.

In his address to celebrate the first “Youth Day” on Monday, the chief executive reiterated the word “fairness” no fewer than 37 times in an apparent attempt to appease the disgruntled younger generation. In response, however, many young people said they felt Moon's speech was “empty.” Watching the two justice ministers and their children, young Koreans are lamenting their lack of “mom's help” or “dad's help.” Moon is straightforward by nature and appears to put honor and loyalty ahead of all else. These are good traits for a factional boss. To be a good national leader, however, he needs to be shrewder and more encompassing. These officials might not have directly violated the laws themselves. In politics, however, there are “national sentiment laws.” Moon's justice ministers broke these laws.

Historically, Koreans are stereotypically quite envious people. There is an old saying, “You get a stomachache if your cousin buys land,” or its more recent version of “You may stand hunger but not a stomachache.” Since the old caste system's abrupt collapse under Japanese colonial rule and the consequent fratricidal war, Koreans became even more conscious of equal opportunity and fair competition to climb the social ladder. Owing to the conglomerate-oriented growth strategy and neo-liberalistic economic system, however, most Koreans have learned to remain content with the middle-class life. Now even that is collapsing amid the U.S.-style polarization of the wealth gap rapidly making a 10/90 society.

That, and increasingly narrower job opportunities, have made many Koreans desperate, especially the young. Moon and his center-left party should not get on the nerves of these angry young men (and angry young women) if it is to “remain in power for at least two decades” as its outgoing party chairman once hoped.

Aside from who occupies Cheong Wa Dae, now is a bad time to be mired in petty partisan brawls. The entire planet is gripped by natural and manmade disasters ― typhoons, hurricanes, floods, bush fires and pandemics. The world may also be moving toward another global military conflict amid new hegemonic competition between the U.S. and China.

President Moon should let go of Cabinet ministers responsible for causing popular disgruntlement, including the one who had a hand in soaring housing prices and the top law enforcement official who enraged political opponents ― and many swing voters ― with unnecessary and excessively arrogant behavior.

This is a time when the nation needs unity and harmony more than at any time before. Moon should ditch Private Seo, if only symbolically.

Choi Sung-jin (choisj1955@naver.com) is a Korea Times columnist.