ED Sexist candidate

Hong Joon-pyo, the presidential nominee of the Liberty Korea Party, has sparked controversy with his role in an attempted rape and a slight on women.

During a TV presidential debate Sunday, Sim Sang-jung of the progressive Justice Party refused to engage in any discussion with Hong, saying “I cannot acknowledge a candidate who conspired in a sex crime.”

Sim’s remark came after public attention latched onto Hong’s 2005 memoir in which he confessed that while attending Korea University, he had provided a veterinary-grade drug to his friend who wanted to rape a female student. Sim and other candidates demanded he withdraw his candidacy over the incident.

Many are appalled by the shameless way Hong has handled the situation. He said he realized what he had done was wrong only after he became a prosecutor. Through his spokesman, Hong said it happened when he was “full of energy” and at a time when social circumstances were different. This presumably means he thinks it should not be seen as a problem because it happened when he was young and when women’s status was not what it is today. He asked for forgiveness, but did not offer any message to the victim of the incident.

The former South Gyeongsang governor has also aroused controversy for his sexist views, saying it is a woman’s job to clean the dishes. These controversies have shown Hong’s vulgar and outdated views of women that cannot be condoned under any circumstances.

It is true that candidates should be judged primarily for their policies. But character is a huge part of what voters look for. The Korean Women’s Association United, an alliance of 30 advocacy groups, is calling on Hong to quit the race. If Hong remains in the running, it is a grave affront to not just women, but all voters looking to elect a president who works for human rights and cares about women’s issues.