우상호 "카투사 자체가 편한 곳"…카투사 예비역 "사과하라"(종합)

더불어민주당 우상호 의원 [연합뉴스 자료사진]

(서울=연합뉴스) 김귀근 이보배 기자 = 더불어민주당 우상호 의원은 9일 추미애 법무부 장관의 아들 관련 논란에 대해 "카투사(KATUSA·미군에 배속된 한국군) 자체가 편한 군대라 논란은 아무런 의미가 없다"고 주장했다.

이에 카투사 현역·예비역들은 성명을 내고 우 의원에게 사과를 촉구했고, 카투사 출신인 이낙연 대표에게 해명을 요구했다.

추 장관이 당 대표일 때 원내대표를 지냈으며 국회 국방위원회 소속이기도 했던 우 의원은 연합뉴스와 통화에서 "카투사는 육군처럼 훈련하지 않는다. 그 자체가 편한 보직이라 어디에 있든 다 똑같다"라면서 "카투사에서 휴가를 갔냐 안 갔냐, 보직을 이동하느냐 안 하느냐는 아무 의미가 없는 얘기"라면서 이같이 밝혔다.

육군 병장 출신인 그는 "예를 들어 육군의 경우 전방 보초를 서는 사람과 국방부에서 근무하는 사람의 노동 강도는 100배는 차이가 난다"며 "유력한 자제의 아들이 가령 국방부에 근무하고 백이 없는 사람이 전방에서 근무했다면 분노가 확 일겠지만, 카투사는 시험을 쳐서 들어간 것이고 근무 환경이 어디든 비슷하기 때문에 몇백만명의 현역 출신들이 분노하지 않는 것"이라고 밝혔다.

그는 당시 국방위원들 사이 추 장관 아들 문제가 거론됐다는 일부 언론 보도에 대해서는 "2017년 당시 한창 대선을 치르고 있을 때였고, 원내대표로서 (추 장관의) 바로 옆에 있었는데 그런 얘기는 전혀 없었다"며 "(추 장관 아들이) 카투사에 들어간 순간 노동강도가 없는 보직일 텐데 추 장관이 걱정할 일도 없었다"고 일축했다.

그러면서 "이 사안의 본질은 아들에게 특혜를 준 것이냐 아니냐였는데 이미 확인이 돼 끝난 사안"이라며 "대응하거나 개입할 가치가 없다"고 강조했다.

우 의원 발언이 알려지자 '카투사 갤러리 일동'은 이날 성명을 발표해 "카투사에 복무하는 장병들 또한 대한민국의 국군 장병이자 누군가의 소중한 아들이라는 것을 강조한다"면서 "우상호 의원은 오늘 발언에 대해 공식 사과하길 강력히 촉구한다"고 밝혔다.

이들은 "카투사에 지원한 장병들은 신성한 국방 의무를 다하기 위해 군에 귀속된 병사들이며, 부대나 보직마다 복무환경이 다르므로 카투사 내에서도 업무는 제각각이고, 카투사에도 육군의 일부 부대보다 힘들게 군 생활을 하는 경우도 존재한다"고 말했다.

그러면서 "카투사 내에서도 2사단의 전투병, 근무헌병, TANGO 경비중대 소속 장병들은 육군병만큼 혹은 그 이상의 훈련을 받으며, JSA 경비대대에 카투사 병력을 배치했을 당시 전군 통틀어 가장 높은 수준의 신체적 스펙을 요구하며 강도 높은 훈련을 실시한 바 있다"며 "카투사 출신인 이낙연 더불어민주당 대표가 그 누구보다 잘 알 것이라 생각하기에 이낙연 대표의 해명을 요구한다"고 덧붙였다.

bobae@yna.co.kr

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