Ruling party faces criticism over its attitude to Justice Party's sexual harassment case

Rep. Lee Nak-yon, center, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during the party's Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Wednesday. During the meeting, he apologized to the victim of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon's sexual harassment case as the National Human Rights Commission announced Park's actions toward the victim constituted sexual harassment. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is facing increased criticism after it criticized the Justice Party following the announcement that the chief of the minor opposition party was stepping down because he sexually harassed a female lawmaker from the same party.

Criticism of the governing party comes as it adopted a lukewarm attitude in dealing with a past sexual harassment case involving its own member, the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, and put off apologizing to the victim.

Kim Jong-cheol, who was the chief of the progressive Justice Party, resigned Monday, acknowledging that he had committed an act of obvious sexual harassment earlier this month by making bodily contact with the victim.

Following the announcement, Rep. Choi In-ho, the chief spokesman of the DPK, issued a statement, saying, “We are shocked by the incident. The Justice Party should adopt zero tolerance in dealing with the case and take appropriate measures to prevent further damage to the victim.”

The statement has provoked angry responses from those both in and outside the ruling party due to its controversial handling of the case of the late mayor and his former secretary who accused him of sexual harassment.

“I have to ask whether the DPK has the right to criticize Kim Jong-cheol and call on the Justice Party to prevent secondary damage to the victim,” Rep. Lee Jong-bae, chief policymaker of the main opposition People Power Party, said during a party meeting, Tuesday.

Lee went on to list recent cases involving DPK lawmakers, “Former South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung, former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don and the late Seoul Mayor Park, who all belonged to the DPK, committed sex offenses. But the DPK did not take any responsible actions and has not hesitated to damage the victims further.”

An is in jail after being found guilty of raping his secretary, while Oh resigned after he admitted to accusations that he sexually harassed a civil servant.

Park, a former human rights lawyer and three-term Seoul mayor, was found dead on Mount Bugak in Seoul, July 10 last year, two days after the secretary went to police to file a sexual harassment complaint against him. Many have suggested he committed suicide out of mounting personal pressure following the complaint.

At the time, the governing party refused to call the secretary the “victim” in an apparent attempt to protect Park. Instead, the party coined a new term, “a person who claims to have been harmed,” which defamed the victim, according to her lawyers.

In addition, Rep. Nam In-soon of the DPK is facing a police investigation over suspicions that she had leaked information about the victim's complaint against the mayor to the mayor's gender equality adviser. Park committed suicide a day after Rep. Nam called the adviser.

The governing party is being criticized even by insiders. Rep. Kwon In-sook of the DPK said it was shameful that the party's chief spokesman issued such a statement.

“The DPK has had the same problems and has no room to criticize another party,” Kwon wrote on Facebook. “The party should not forget its mission to prevent sex offences committed by the powerful and put more effort into protecting victims.”

Meanwhile, DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon apologized Wednesday as the state human rights watchdog said Park's actions toward his secretary constituted sexual harassment as they included sending “inappropriate” messages and photos to the victim late at night.

The apology came two days after the National Human Rights Commission announced the results of its five-month-long investigation.

“We accepted the results of the investigation by the commission and apologize to the victim and her family,” Lee said during a party meeting.