Strange defense of Choo

The defense rhetoric ruling Democratic Party (DP) members use on behalf of Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae as she battles with allegations about her son getting special favors during military service has gone overboard. Their reasoning is pitiful and childish enough to raise questions about their qualifications to represent the people and commit to public service.

DP spokesman Park Sung-jun’s stretch was the most comical of all. He claimed that Choo’s son followed in the footsepts of independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun — who had stressed that a soldier must sacrifice oneself to fight for the country by serving in the military — even with a knee problem. After his comment drew a fiery protest, he withdrew it. What sane person would link a serviceman accused of AWOL to our national hero?

Their outrageous streak of outbursts to defend Choo is long. Rep. Hong Young–pyo accused an opposition lawmaker of seeking “a plot in the legislature by the forces in the past who had privatized the military and raised a military coup.” Rep. Woo Sang-ho said the dispute over Choo’s son is meaningless as Katusa (the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army) where he served is more relaxed than other military forces. Rep. Jung Chung-rae even retorted, “Is asking the waiter to have your stew served a little faster a favor?”

Rep. Hwang Hee even demanded the prosecution find who was behind the whistle blower (who first revealed Choo’s son’s AWOL), followed by Rep. Kim Nam-kuk’s incorrect remarks that a bigger number of opposition lawmakers did not serve in the military, which invited mockery from the opposition.

The allegations about Choo’s son are hardly a complicated issue. The truth could be known in days if the prosecution had the will to probe the case. Nevertheless, DP lawmakers are going berserk in defense of their former chief instead of waiting for the results of the prosecution’s investigations. They may be fretting about a lame-duck situation if any wrongdoing is found with the heavyweight politician of the ruling party. It is no wonder the DP and all the government offices are going all-out to defend Choo.