South Korean opposition demands Defense Minister reveal military records amid desertion claims

South Korea's main opposition party, the People Power Party, intensified its pressure on Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-baek on July 11, demanding the public disclosure of his military service records. The party alleges that Ahn deserted during his mandatory service, a claim the Ministry of National Defense has dismissed as "clearly false."

Park Seong-hoon, a senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated that the desertion allegations against Minister Ahn are escalating and pose a "critical risk to national security." He urged Ahn to "stop the wordplay" and "reveal his military records to the public, clarifying exactly where and how things went wrong."

The opposition party criticized the Ministry of National Defense for labeling the allegations as false while refusing to release the records. Park called this a "deception of the public" aimed at obscuring the truth and buying time. He argued that if the records show an administrative error, transparent disclosure of those specific records would resolve the issue. The party also questioned how a minister unable to clarify his own military service record could discuss military discipline and dedication.

The controversy surrounding Ahn's service record surfaced during his confirmation hearing in July of the previous year. Opposition lawmakers pointed out that his records indicated a service period of 22 months, significantly longer than the typical 14 months for conscripts. The Ministry of National Defense stated on July 10 that it would seek to correct any errors in the records after Ahn's term as minister concludes, but it continues to refuse to release the records publicly.