Minor party will not compete in mayoral by-elections amid sexual harassment scandal
Kim Jong-cheol, former leader of the liberal minor Justice Party speaks at his New Year's conference held last Wednesday at the National Assembly. Kim stepped down from the position as party leader on Monday admitting to sexually harassing Justice Party Rep. Jang Hye-young. / Yonhap
The minor progressive Justice Party decided Wednesday not to field candidates in the April mayoral by-elections in the wake of a sexual abuse scandal that led to the expulsion of its leader.
Kim Jong-cheol resigned as head of the party on Jan. 25 after admitting to sexually harassing a female lawmaker of the same party. He was expelled from the party Thursday.
"The party decided not to nominate candidates in the by-elections as a way of reflecting on itself and taking responsibility," a party official said after a meeting of the national committee, its top decision-making body.
Mayoral by-elections will be held in Seoul and Busan on April 7. The posts have remained vacant since then Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don resigned in April and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon killed himself in July, both amid accusations of sexual harassment and assault. (Yonhap)