Ex-gov. apologizes for sexual misconduct
An Hee-jung speaks as he arrives at the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office Friday. Former South Chungcheong Province Governor allegedly raped two female secretaries. Yonhap
By Kim Hyun-bin
Former South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung apologized Friday for rape allegations against him which rattled the entire country.
“I apologize to the general public, the people of South Chungcheong Province,” An said as he arrived at the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office. He submitted himself Friday without being asked. “I am so sorry to my wife and kids. All the love and encouragement the general public gave me, I sincerely apologize.”
A crowd surrounded him as he spoke and some yelled at him.
“What the hell are you doing? You shouldn’t be doing that.”
His appearance comes as prosecutors have intensified their investigation into An, who resigned earlier this week amid a rape allegation.
On Thursday, the prosecution searched an apartment building in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, where An’s secretary claimed she was raped on Feb. 25.
The prosecution said it retrieved a month’s worth of CCTV footage showing An and the victim Kim arriving at the apartment.
Local news outlets reported the apartment was owned by a construction company CEO who is a close friend of An’s. The politician had been staying at the apartment during his business trips to Seoul since last October.
Prosecutors also requested a travel ban on An from the Ministry of Justice.
On Monday, Kim made the revelation in a TV interview that the former governor raped her four times and sexually harassed her during her eight months working in his office.
Kim filed a complaint with the prosecution the following day.
It was a huge blow to the politician who had been touted as a presidential candidate for 2022.
The revelation was also a huge surprise to his supporters. A day after the revelation, one broke a window at his residence in outrage.
On Thursday, An abruptly canceled a planned press conference where he was supposed to make a public apology and explanation of the allegations.
An, 52, married with two sons, sent a text message to reporters two hours before the press conference stating he believes it is his duty to cooperate earnestly with the investigation.
“I was planning to apologize to the general public, the people of South Chungcheong Province, before being summoned by prosecutors,” An wrote in a text message. “I canceled the press conference because I thought it was my foremost duty to show up for questioning at the earliest possible date and sincerely cooperate with the investigation.”
On Wednesday another woman who worked at the Institute for Better Democracy, a political think tank established by An, confessed An raped and assaulted her three times in August 2016, December 2016, and January 2017.
The latest victim said she could not refuse An as he was in an absolute position of power. She plans to hire lawyers to file a criminal complaint, as well.
An was a potential presidential candidate from the liberal bloc as he was the runner-up to Moon Jae-in in the Democratic Party’s primary ahead of last year’s presidential election.
The incident directed criticism onto the national government for not doing enough to protect female employees at public organizations.
On Friday, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced it would begin special inspections of sexual misconduct in all 2,022 public entities. The previous day, the ministry announced a series of protective measures against workplace sex offenders, including sentencing up to 10 years in prison for convicted sex offenders _ currently, it’s only up to five years.