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| Kim Jae-ryun, a lawyer representing a government employee who was allegedly harassed by former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon when she was his secretary, speaks during a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday./ Yonhap |
By Kim Se-jeong
A lawyer representing a former secretary of the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, who filed a sexual harassment complaint against him with police, rejected taking part in the Seoul Metropolitan Government's planned investigation into the allegations, Wednesday, instead asking the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) to look into the case.
"It is inappropriate for the city to investigate the case. Instead it should be held accountable for its failures," Kim Jae-ryun said at a press conference in Seoul, the second press such following one July 13.
"The victim reached out to almost 20 officials in the government for help over more than four years. But, the system within the administration made her stay silent," added Lee Mi-kyoung, director of the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center. "We don't see how city employees will speak the truth to a city-led investigation team and how a fair investigation can be conducted. We believe the NHRCK is the right party to investigate the case. We are planning to submit a request next week."
Following the press conference, the city government announced it will cancel the scheduled investigation. It also promised to comply with any findings by the human rights commission's investigation team.
On July 15, one week after Park committed suicide, the city government had announced plans for a joint investigation into the harassment allegations. Although it promised fairness by inviting outside experts to join the team, few of these were willing to participate.
The former mayor was found dead on a mountainside in Seoul, June 9, two days after the former secretary reported the sexual harassment to police.
Police are not expected to investigate the harassment case but many people believe he killed himself because of the allegations. The victim claimed Park groped her in his office and sent her naked photos of himself through Instagram.
However, officers are investigating the cause of his death and looking into why the city government refused to check out her repeated complaints.
They are also trying to find out who told Park about the accusation ― the former mayor disappeared before an official notification took place; and it is illegal for a civil servant to leak such information. The National Police Agency and Cheong Wa Dae said they were aware of the accusation in advance but denied sharing it with Park. His gender adviser in the city government is also denying she tipped him off.
During Wednesday's press conference, Kim offered new information regarding the accusation ― she said the legal team had initially contacted the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.
"Prosecutors made it difficult to arrange a meeting, so we contacted the police," she said.
Sexual harassment cases involving high-ranking government officials are rattling Korean society, a "traditionally patriarchal" one.
Meanwhile, a lower court in Seoul rejected a police request for a warrant to search offices in the city government building. Earlier this week, it also rejected a request to forensically examine Park's phone records.
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