◀ anchor ▶
From now on, we will continue with MBC’s exclusive report on personnel verification by the new government.
It is the story of three ministerial candidates or their families.
First, there are allegations related to the military service of the son of Minister of Health and Welfare Nominee Jeong Ho-young.
At first, he was judged to be active duty in the military, later he issued a diagnosis of spinal stenosis, and after a retrial, he completed his military service as a social worker.
The medical certificate submitted at this time said, “If you walk a long distance, the pain may recur.”
But just two months later, my son went on a package tour to Europe with his family.
For 9 days and 8 nights, it was a schedule that toured the tourist attractions of major cities in 4 countries, took a bus, and walked a lot.
Reporter Lee Jun-beom reported exclusively.
◀ Report ▶
A package tour of Eastern Europe conducted by a travel agency in 2016.
After arriving in Prague, Czech Republic, Vienna, Austria, and Budapest, Hungary, itinerary covers 13 cities in 5 countries in 9 days and 8 nights, with a travel distance of over 2,500 km.
From Plitvice Lakes National Park, where three days are not enough, to Dubrovnik, famous for its castle walking tour.
Almost all tourist attractions are places that you have to visit on foot.
[여행업계 관계자]
“(Travel to Eastern Europe) is almost all about museums and historical sites, so you have to walk a lot.”
On December 27, 2015, the family of Chung Ho-young, a candidate for Minister of Health and Welfare, booked this package tour.
It has been about a month since my son was diagnosed with ‘grade 4’ through a retrial for spinal stenosis.
According to the diagnosis from Kyungpook National University Hospital, which served as the basis for the decision at the time, the son of candidate Chung said that his left leg and back hurt, and he complained of pain even when he lay down and lifted his leg by 30 degrees.
The doctor’s opinion was that the pain could recur when walking long distances, and that excessive exercise could worsen the symptoms and require surgery.
Because of this, I was given a grade 4 rating, but I actually did a 22-hour round-trip long-distance flight and went on a tour mainly on foot.
[인재근 / 국회 보건복지위 의원]
“It would have been very painful (to be re-examined), but the fact that I traveled for eight days on a long plane would raise people’s suspicions about military service.”
According to the immigration records obtained by MBC, Chung and his son went on a family trip to Italy for a week before enlisting as a social worker, and also visited Japan twice together.
[정호영 / 보건복지부 장관 후보자]
“I will tell you precisely through the hearing. Thank you for your hard work.”
In response, Candidate Chung’s side said that just because a person with a spinal disease cannot live a normal life, and that he does not always have pain.
This is Lee Jun-beom from MBC News.
Video Editing: Na Ji-yeon
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