Diplomat's sexual harassment scandal growing into diplomatic issue

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Tue, September 26, 2023 | 07:07

Politics

Diplomat's sexual harassment scandal growing into diplomatic issue

Posted : 2020-07-29 17:11

Updated : 2020-07-30 14:45

New Zealand's news service Newshub Nation reports on a Korean diplomat accused of sexually assaulting a local staff member in the embassy in 2017, Saturday. Newshub also stated that a New Zealand police investigation is at an impasse due to the Korean government's refusal to cooperate. / Captured from Newshub Nation

By Park Han-sol

A Korean diplomat's alleged sexual assault of an embassy staff member while posted in New Zealand in 2017 has emerged as a potential diplomatic issue after it was discussed in a phone call Tuesday between President Moon Jae-in and Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern ― a very rare occasion for such a topic to be discussed between the leaders of countries.

This is indicative of how seriously New Zealand is taking the issue, which Korea's foreign affairs ministry has attempted to smooth over with light disciplinary action taken against the diplomat. Concern is rising, however, that the issue may grow into a serious diplomatic incident if the government fails to co-operate with the investigation by New Zealand's law enforcement authorities.

Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday evening that President Moon had discussed the sexual assault allegations during the conversation.

According to a presidential official, Wednesday, Ardern mentioned the case during their talks, and Moon answered that the relevant government organizations would check into the facts and deal with the matter. Cheong Wa Dae did not disclose any further details of the call.

Korea's former deputy ambassador to New Zealand, surnamed Kim, faces three separate charges of sexually assaulting a male staff member at the Korean embassy in Wellington in 2017. Each charge could land him a seven years jail sentence under New Zealand law.

Kim returned to Korea in February, 2018. After an internal investigation, during which he denied the allegations, the foreign ministry gave him a one-month pay cut, a penalty seen as far too light compared to the punishment he could face if he was tried in New Zealand. Soon after he was assigned as a consul general in the Korean Embassy to the Philippines, where he is still serving.

Despite his absence, the New Zealand police continued the investigation and a local court there issued an arrest warrant for him in late February this year.

But the investigation has hit an impasse due to the Korean government's lack of cooperation. According to a July 25 report by Newshub Nation, a New Zealand news service, the government here declined to cooperate with a request from New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade by "refusing to allow a scene examination, declining police access to CCTV, failing to release their investigation, and refusing to waive diplomatic immunity so staff could be interviewed by police."

Regarding the issue, the Korean foreign affairs ministry is seemingly taking an ambiguous stance, saying it was in talks with the New Zealand authorities.

"The foreign ministry would like to make it clear that it is not protecting an individual by citing diplomatic immunity," ministry spokesman Kim In-chul said in a press briefing, Tuesday.

As to the possibility of extradition, a ministry official said it depended on what the New Zealand police decide to do, and if such a request is submitted, a local court here will hear the case according to relevant international treaties and local laws.

But after the phone call between Moon and Ardern, the ministry said Wednesday it was discussing how to respond to the request for cooperation in the investigation.

The case marks yet another instance of sex offenses involving foreign ministry officials over the past few years despite the ministry's self-proclaimed zero-tolerance policy toward such crimes. Sex offenses have also been committed by Korean officials in a growing list of countries including the United States, Ethiopia, Pakistan and Cambodia.

"When diplomats commit misdeeds, it has been the custom within the ministry to simply conduct an internal investigation, impose disciplinary sanctions and then close the cases without any transparency," Choi Won-mok, a diplomat-turned-law professor at Ewha Womans University told The Korea Times.

"It's important for the ministry to be transparent from the initial stages, and it should implement an appropriate training system so that diplomats' actions correspond with the public's expectations," Choi said.

hansolp@koreatimes.co.kr