Rights commission begins clampdown on sexual harassment

By You Soo-sun

The National Human Rights Commission will look into sexual harassment allegations surrounding a public corporation, the Korea Land and Geospatial Information Corporation (LX), the commission announced Monday.

This is part of the commission’s drive to combat sexual harassment involving abuse of power, an issue that has been gaining attention in Korea and abroad as more victims began speaking out about their experiences.

Earlier this month, media reports claimed officials at the organization sexually assaulted female employees and college student interns; the corporation later tried to cover this up, stoking public fury.

“The commission decided to carry out an inspection of LX, as media outlets reported on the severe extent of the problem; further investigation also revealed female workers have been subject to sexual harassment due to the pervasive masculine work culture of the organization, calling for an overall assessment,” the commission said.

Earlier this month, the commission announced its plans to address systematic sexual offenses at various workplaces. It said it will conduct a special inspection through the end of this year and established a special team to work on the issue.

This is also in line with the government’s efforts to address the issue.

President Moon Jae-in’s most recent remark came during a cabinet meeting Nov. 21, in which he stressed raising awareness among the top officials at government institutions and corporations and that strict measures should follow.

“A system in which victims are able to freely voice their concerns followed by according measures must be established and settled,” he said.