Prosecutors' Office Bars Departure of Choo Mee-ae's Son Over Military Leave Privilege Allegations…Resumes Investigation

The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, which is investigating the case involving allegations of military leave privileges granted to the son of Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mee-ae, has recently imposed a departure ban on Seo, the son who recently returned from abroad, and has resumed the investigation. This marks the first major development since a prosecution suspension was issued in September 2024 due to the suspect's overseas stay, a gap of 2 years and 2 months.

According to legal circles on the 10th, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office confirmed that Seo, who had been staying overseas, entered the country last week, and immediately imposed a departure ban following his entry, reopening the case that had been under prosecution suspension.

The core issue of this case is whether there was coercion or improper external pressure in the process when Seo, while serving in KATUSA (Korean Augmentation to the United States Army), extended his leave without prior approval or proper procedures after leaving on leave citing knee surgery. At the time the allegations emerged, Governor Choo stated that she had "no reason and did not exert external pressure."

Previously, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office issued a "no cause" non-indictment decision in September 2020, stating that "it is difficult to recognize an intent to desert the military and external pressure cannot be deemed to have existed." Although the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office dismissed the appeal filed by bereaved families and opposition parties in June 2022, a reinvestigation was launched following a reinvestigation order from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in November of the same year.

However, as Seo departed overseas in 2023 while the investigation was ongoing, prosecutors processed the case as prosecution suspension in September 2024 with measures of "notification upon entry" and "departure ban."

Subsequently, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, which inherited the case, plans to directly summon and question Seo soon as the suspect's custody has been secured with his entry into the country. The prosecutors' office is expected to complete the investigation and issue a final disposition, including a determination on whether to maintain the existing non-indictment decision, within the year-end investigation deferral period.