Joo Jin-woo, Forecasts Legal Action Regarding 'Acute Hepatitis Military Exemption' Controversy

Joo Jin-woo, a member of the People Power Party, claimed that he is being subjected to all sorts of false accusations while trying to uncover "hidden black money" related to Prime Minister candidate Kim Min-seok.

On the 26th, Joo stated in a post on his social media, "(I was diagnosed with) hepatitis in my first year of high school, and based on the liver biopsy determined by the Military Manpower Administration, I was exempted appropriately due to being diagnosed with 'Hepatitis B,'" adding, "I have been undergoing treatment for 32 years, and I am still visiting Asan Medical Center in Seoul."

Following this, he emphasized, "I will pursue legal action against all members of the Democratic Party who have raised false suspicions, including a doctor who posted comments under the pretext of expertise without knowing about someone else's medical history."

Earlier, on the 25th, Democratic Party member Kang Deok-gu questioned the legitimacy of Joo's military exemption, stating on social media, "It is quite well-known that Joo Jin-woo enjoys drinking."

On that day, Kang also demanded, "The military service issue is a sensitive matter that touches on public emotions. Immediately release the records of your physical examination for conscription and the list of treatments you are currently receiving."

In light of these military corruption allegations, Joo has taken a firm stance by revealing the name of the hospital he is currently visiting.

Furthermore, Joo refuted his own controversies that emerged during Kim's confirmation hearing, addressing the 'acute hepatitis military exemption' suspicion along with others point by point.

Specifically regarding allegations related to his wealth, he stated, "The total assets of myself, my spouse, and my son amount to approximately 4.5 billion won," criticizing, "While my 20 years of salary as a prosecutor, inheritance, gifts, and attorney income are all included, such maliciously omitted claims are unfair."

He continued, "For 25 years in public office, I have registered my assets every year and managed them transparently while timely paying a total of 3.32 billion won in taxes during the asset formation process," asserting, "It is not at all comparable to Kim's situation, which requires him to make absurd justifications mentioning things like 'cabbage and stray cats,' and holds no verifiable assets."

He further stated, "The assets of my son were directly gifted from his grandfather, who has worked as a lawyer for 30 years, with all the incremented gift taxes fully settled, and I ensured there was no speculation by depositing them." He countered, "It is different from Kim, who has a minor child's savings that increased by 150 million won around the time of the general election yet claims to be 'clueless.'"

Additionally, he clarified all the allegations raised by the Democratic Party regarding "torture inquiry prosecutor's father," "family running a club," "unauthorized renovation of parliamentary office," "master's degree from Ghent University," and "stock price manipulation."

On the same day, Joo added another post suggesting to Kim, "I am genuinely proud and confident," proposing, "How about we both publicly disclose our data in front of the public at the same time?"

Image Sources: Joo Jin-woo, Member of the People Power Party / News1, Kim Min-seok, Prime Minister Candidate / News1