The former secretary and women's groups, who accused former Mayor Park Won-soon of allegations of sexual harassment, failed to deny the Seoul-led fact-finding investigation at a press conference today (22nd), and the city of Seoul eventually withdrew its policy to organize its own investigation team.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to cooperate with the Human Rights Commission investigation when the victims file a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea.

It is expected that a number of former and current Seoul officials will be subject to the investigation.

Seoul Metropolitan Government proposed on the 15th that it would form a'public-private joint investigation group' in which city officials and external experts participate as countermeasures against allegations of sexual harassment by former Mayor Park Park. We have announced that we will promote the formation of a'joint investigation team'.

In particular, the city sent a letter on the 18th to recommend an investigative team member to the victims-supporting women's organizations, such as the Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center and the Korean Women's Telephone.

However, the Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center and the Korean Women's Telephone held a second press conference on the violent sexual violence incident by the mayor of Seoul with lawyer Kim Jae-ryeon, the victim's legal representative, and criticized the composition of the investigation team in Seoul.

Lee Mi-kyung, director of the Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Office, said, “Seoul is the subject of responsibility in this matter, not the subject of investigation. I think it is best for the National Human Rights Commission to conduct the investigation.”

He pointed out that victims of sexual harassment and sexual harassment and grievances were reported to nearly 20 former secretaries for four years and asked for telegrams, but that the system that topped the market was a powerful structure to keep silent. "It is difficult for employees who will continue to work as public officials in Seoul to give sincere responses in internal investigations," he said.

Ko Mi-kyung, a Korean women's phone representative, said repeatedly, "I decided not to participate in the Seoul Metropolitan Government."

Attorney Kim Jae-ryeon emphasized that Seoul's officials could be legally accused of "prosecution".

The victim mentioned the sexual grievance to the personnel manager, but the officials said to the victims,'I will make it easier for the rest of my 30 years to be a civil servant, so please come back as a secretary','I do not know,''I would have been pretty,' Ask for permission directly,” said lawyer Kim.

“In our law, “aiding” refers to all direct and indirect acts that facilitate the conduct of condemnation,” he said. “(The people involved) did not try to take measures to transmit the victim, sexual harassment. If it is admitted that no action has been taken to prevent it, and consequently that the victim continues to be exposed to the damage of the assault, the charges of aiding the assault will also be acceptable.”

As such, the victims and solidarity groups urged the need for an investigation by an outside agency targeting former and current officials in Seoul, and the city lost its cause to form its own investigation team.

A spokesman for Seoul Metropolitan Hwang In-sik held an emergency briefing this afternoon and said, "As the victims' support group announced their intention to abstain from the Seoul City Investigation Team, it was difficult to form a joint investigation group."

He added, "We regret that the Seoul Metropolitan Government has refused to participate in the fact-finding investigation team of the victim support group, and will actively cooperate if the victim requests an investigation through the complaint of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea."

When the human rights commission investigation is conducted in the future, it is more likely that a number of former and current Seoul officials will be investigated, claiming that the victim has appealed to nearly 20 seniors and colleagues who have worked in the secretary's office for about 4 years.

Regarding the victims, the lawyer Kim said, “17 people before the department move, 3 people after the department move. Of these people, of course, a higher position than the victim, and a person in charge who needs to be addressed to someone more responsible for the issue. Is included."

In the case of Mayor Seo Jeong-hyup, who is currently acting as mayor of the mayor, he served as Mayor Park's secretary from March 2015 to June 2016.

This period overlaps with the victim's office hours.

In this regard, when asked whether the agency would also respond if it were selected as a target for investigation by the Human Rights Commission, spokesman Hwang responded, "Of course, we will be active and sincere." 

(Photo = Yonhap News)