By Jhoo Dong-chan
Police officers investigating an allegation of rape against Rep. Sim Hag-bong of the ruling Saenuri Party have been criticized for showing "leniency" in their inquires because they plan to close the case after only questioning him for a couple of hours.
Officers at the Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency said Tuesday that they will recommend that the prosecution not indict the first-term lawmaker based in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, after they concluded the accusation was false.
Police questioned the lawmaker for two hours Monday. They asked Sim whether he raped the 48-year-old insurance sales woman at a hotel room in Daegu and whether he urged her to change her testimony ― Sim denied both allegations.
They said he would not be summoned again.
The investigation started on July 24 after the woman reported to police that Sim told her to come to the hotel and then allegedly raped her on July 13. She also alleges that Sim gave her 300,000 won ($260) in cash.
But during questioning for a second and third time, she changed her story, saying "there was no coercion before the act of sexual intercourse" and thus she did not want Sim to be punished.
She told police that she felt as if she were raped because Sim never called her after the sex. However, she then said that Sim called and met her two days after she filed the complaint and told her that there was a "misunderstanding,"according to police.
The police did not specify the specifics of the "misunderstanding", citing an issue of privacy between the two.
Critics say that police are shutting down their investigation without a full inquiry into the allegations in order to cover up the incident for the incumbent lawmaker.
Police did not look into the allegation that Sim may have offered money to the woman to keep her quiet. "Even though he really gave money to her, the offering of money is not a crime itself," said an officer.
The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) joined in the criticism.
"Sim abused his political power to rape or buy sex," said NPAD lawmaker Choi Min-hee.
"The woman changed her story in the police investigation. It is highly likely that Sim would have blackmailed or bribed her after the two met secretly."
Choi and other female lawmakers of the NPAD filed a complaint with the National Assembly's Special Committee on Ethics against Sim.
If more than 20 lawmakers file a complaint with the committee against a lawmaker, then it discusses whether to punish the lawmaker and refers the case to a plenary session.
An accused lawmaker can be deprived of their post if more than two thirds of their peers vote to do so.
In a press release Monday, Sim apologized for "causing concerns to people due to the incident" and resigned from the ruling Saenuri Party.
However, he did not respond to mounting calls to give up his National Assembly seat.
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| Sim Hag-bong |
Officers at the Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency said Tuesday that they will recommend that the prosecution not indict the first-term lawmaker based in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, after they concluded the accusation was false.
Police questioned the lawmaker for two hours Monday. They asked Sim whether he raped the 48-year-old insurance sales woman at a hotel room in Daegu and whether he urged her to change her testimony ― Sim denied both allegations.
They said he would not be summoned again.
The investigation started on July 24 after the woman reported to police that Sim told her to come to the hotel and then allegedly raped her on July 13. She also alleges that Sim gave her 300,000 won ($260) in cash.
But during questioning for a second and third time, she changed her story, saying "there was no coercion before the act of sexual intercourse" and thus she did not want Sim to be punished.
She told police that she felt as if she were raped because Sim never called her after the sex. However, she then said that Sim called and met her two days after she filed the complaint and told her that there was a "misunderstanding,"according to police.
The police did not specify the specifics of the "misunderstanding", citing an issue of privacy between the two.
Critics say that police are shutting down their investigation without a full inquiry into the allegations in order to cover up the incident for the incumbent lawmaker.
Police did not look into the allegation that Sim may have offered money to the woman to keep her quiet. "Even though he really gave money to her, the offering of money is not a crime itself," said an officer.
The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) joined in the criticism.
"Sim abused his political power to rape or buy sex," said NPAD lawmaker Choi Min-hee.
"The woman changed her story in the police investigation. It is highly likely that Sim would have blackmailed or bribed her after the two met secretly."
Choi and other female lawmakers of the NPAD filed a complaint with the National Assembly's Special Committee on Ethics against Sim.
If more than 20 lawmakers file a complaint with the committee against a lawmaker, then it discusses whether to punish the lawmaker and refers the case to a plenary session.
An accused lawmaker can be deprived of their post if more than two thirds of their peers vote to do so.
In a press release Monday, Sim apologized for "causing concerns to people due to the incident" and resigned from the ruling Saenuri Party.
However, he did not respond to mounting calls to give up his National Assembly seat.
