Gender ministry to probe Seoul city for sexual abuse scandal

Hwang Yoon-jung, a gender ministry official speaks during a regular briefing at government complex in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

By Bahk Eun-ji

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Thursday that it will conduct an inspection of the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) next week amid an ongoing controversy over sexual harassment allegations made against the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.

The decision came several days after Minister Lee Jung-ok pledged to map out effective and strengthened measures to prevent further sexual crimes in public institutions.

"The inspection will be carried out next week, with a number of women's rights and law experts. The exact date has not been settled yet, but it will take about two days," said gender ministry official Hwang Yoon-jung in a regular briefing at the Government Complex in Seoul.

Earlier, the ministry said it would check all aspects of how the city government has been handling such cases so far. In this regard, the investigation will be focused on whether the SMG has complied with sexual harassment guidelines.

Regarding the plan to share the results of the inspection with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Hwang said it requires further discussion between the two ministries.

The ministry said it has been making every effort to come up with measures for the prevention of such sexual abuse cases in the public sector, by creating a special committee with experts from the public and private sectors since last week.

"The measures will include support for victims to return to their daily lives and the creation of a safe work environment. For this, we are taking experts' opinions," Hwang said.

In answer to a question about how they have been supporting the alleged victim, she said, "We are closely in touch with an institution where she gets help, to confirm she is in a safe place."

Park, the three-time mayor of Seoul since 2011, was found dead July 10 in an apparent suicide, after he was reported missing July 9. His former secretary had filed a complaint with the police about alleged sexual harassment the previous day.

The police said Wednesday that it has unlocked the Park's iPhone with the password apparently secured with the help of the alleged victim. Unlocking the mobile phone is expected to accelerate the investigation into his death and the allegation made against him.

It seems that the most of his text messages and other messages he sent and received via mobile messenger apps will remain on the phone, which was found with his body, police said. This will make further investigations possible, including the suspicions of sexual harassment allegation and whether the late mayor knew about the complaint before he died.

Early last week, police asked a local court to issue a warrant to access communication records for Park's three mobile phones, but the request was rejected.

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