By Kim Jae-heun
The #MeToo movement is about to spread to sports, following allegations that two professional baseball players raped a woman.
In sports, cases involving senior players physically attacking junior players for reasons including disobedience have been common. But sexual violence has been rare in this mostly gender-segregated work environment.
However, Seoul-based Nexen Heroes' pitcher Cho Sang-woo and catcher Park Dong-won have been summoned for questioning by police in Incheon on suspicions of raping the woman at a hotel.
According to the Incheon Namdong Police Station, police have secured CCTV footage from the lobby of the hotel and halls of each floor.
Some footage was recorded in front of a hotel room in which the victim alleged she was raped.
"There is no CCTV installed in the room so we will analyze the footage recorded in the corridor," the police official said.
The victim reported her case to a policewoman stationed at the Women's Human Rights Institute of Korea, May 23.
The police station received the testimony record.
The victim's friend called the police to report about the case at 5:21 am. She said her friend was sexually assaulted after drinking.
Cho and Park were in Incheon for a game against the SK Wyverns.
They knew the victim's friend, but it was their first time meeting the victim.
"For now, we will not communicate through their team. We will contact them individually and summon them. The date has not been fixed yet, but we will call them soon," the police official said.
If the allegation is true, the two players will be charged.
The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) suspended the two immediately after the report came out.
The KBO said it will decide on further action in accordance with the results of the police investigation.
Currently, the two have been excluded from all baseball-related activities, including their team's practices and events.
Meanwhile, former short track star Choi Min-kyung recently accused her senior of molestation.
Choi filed a complaint with the police in Songpa-gu, Seoul.
She claimed she has been sexually harassed by her boss of the same sex working at the Korean Olympic Committee.
Choi has been working for the organization after she retired as an athlete.
She alleged her boss sexually harassed her by kissing and touching her body in a singing room.
She is a former gold medalist who won the 3,000-meter relay in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in the United States.
The #MeToo campaign began in Hollywood with dozens of actresses accusing American film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault in 2017.
It has spread to other parts of the world, including Korea.
A female prosecutor's accusation of harassment by her former supervisor ignited the #MeToo movement here.
It then spread to entertainment and politics instantly.
Actor Jo Min-ki committed suicide March 9, after his students accused him of sexual harassment. Jo taught drama and acting at Cheongju University.
Former South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung was also indicted on charges of raping his secretary.
The #MeToo movement is about to spread to sports, following allegations that two professional baseball players raped a woman.
In sports, cases involving senior players physically attacking junior players for reasons including disobedience have been common. But sexual violence has been rare in this mostly gender-segregated work environment.
However, Seoul-based Nexen Heroes' pitcher Cho Sang-woo and catcher Park Dong-won have been summoned for questioning by police in Incheon on suspicions of raping the woman at a hotel.
According to the Incheon Namdong Police Station, police have secured CCTV footage from the lobby of the hotel and halls of each floor.
Some footage was recorded in front of a hotel room in which the victim alleged she was raped.
"There is no CCTV installed in the room so we will analyze the footage recorded in the corridor," the police official said.
The victim reported her case to a policewoman stationed at the Women's Human Rights Institute of Korea, May 23.
The police station received the testimony record.
The victim's friend called the police to report about the case at 5:21 am. She said her friend was sexually assaulted after drinking.
Cho and Park were in Incheon for a game against the SK Wyverns.
They knew the victim's friend, but it was their first time meeting the victim.
"For now, we will not communicate through their team. We will contact them individually and summon them. The date has not been fixed yet, but we will call them soon," the police official said.
If the allegation is true, the two players will be charged.
The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) suspended the two immediately after the report came out.
The KBO said it will decide on further action in accordance with the results of the police investigation.
Currently, the two have been excluded from all baseball-related activities, including their team's practices and events.
Meanwhile, former short track star Choi Min-kyung recently accused her senior of molestation.
Choi filed a complaint with the police in Songpa-gu, Seoul.
She claimed she has been sexually harassed by her boss of the same sex working at the Korean Olympic Committee.
Choi has been working for the organization after she retired as an athlete.
She alleged her boss sexually harassed her by kissing and touching her body in a singing room.
She is a former gold medalist who won the 3,000-meter relay in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in the United States.
The #MeToo campaign began in Hollywood with dozens of actresses accusing American film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault in 2017.
It has spread to other parts of the world, including Korea.
A female prosecutor's accusation of harassment by her former supervisor ignited the #MeToo movement here.
It then spread to entertainment and politics instantly.
Actor Jo Min-ki committed suicide March 9, after his students accused him of sexual harassment. Jo taught drama and acting at Cheongju University.
Former South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung was also indicted on charges of raping his secretary.
