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| New Zealand's news service Newshub Nation reports, July 25, on a Korean diplomat's alleged sexual harassment of a local staff member during his service in New Zealand in 2017. / Captured from Newshub Nation |
By Park Han-sol
A senior Korean diplomat accused of sexually harassing a local embassy staff member while posted to New Zealand in 2017 has returned home from a consulate in the Philippines, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday.
The return follows the ministry's Aug. 3 order for him to return immediately as part of a "personnel affairs measure for causing controversy." The diplomat, surnamed Kim, was transferred to the Seoul headquarters without being assigned to any specific position for the time being.
He has been placed under self-quarantine for two weeks, a measure adopted to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The foreign ministry said it would decide on appropriate follow-up measures. However, because the ministry had already taken disciplinary action against Kim for "inappropriate conduct" after an internal investigation in 2019, whether it will reinvestigate the case or impose other punitive measures is yet to be seen.
The ministry had said earlier it was willing to cooperate with an investigation by New Zealand's law enforcement authorities if they made a request, such as for extradition. New Zealand has not yet officially requested the above.
A local news media outlet reported that Cheong Wa Dae may also conduct a separate fact-checking investigation, such as how the ministry learned of the case in the first place and whether the disciplinary action taken was appropriate.
Kim is suspected of groping a local male staff member on three occasions at the Korean Embassy in Wellington in 2017 while serving as a deputy ambassador to New Zealand.
He left Wellington in February 2018 and was punished by the ministry with a one-month pay cut. He was then stationed in the Philippines as a consul general until his recall.
After Kim's departure, New Zealand police continued their investigation, which led to a local court issuing an arrest warrant for him in late February this year.
New Zealand has expressed disappointment in the Korean government's lack of cooperation in the investigation, and the issue was even mentioned during a phone call between the leaders of the two countries late last month.
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