[Exclusive] Suspicion of sexual harassment of high-ranking monks... "In vain to raise an issue"

<Anchor>

A high-ranking monk of 'Jingak sect', one of the major sects of Korean Buddhism with 800,000 members, was accused of sexually harassing an employee of a foundation affiliated with the cult several times, so we focused on the investigation. The victim raised a problem, but the group's actions were insufficient.

This is the exclusive report by reporter Kim Min-jung.

<Reporter>

25-year-old A, who joined the Korean Buddhism Jingak Foundation in August 2017.

Immediately after joining the company, monk B in his 50s, who was the boss of the same department, told SBS reporters that he had sexually harassed him frequently.

[Victim A: I put my head on my head several times while frequently touching areas with underwear such as shoulders and arms. They even come from behind and put their face to mine.]

There was also a colleague who witnessed Mr. B's behavior.

[At the time, a colleague in the same department: When sitting in the office, (the victim) rubbed shoulders or had some physical contact from behind, but I saw it a few times that made it uncomfortable.] As the

physical contact was repeated even though he expressed his refusal, Mr. informed of this.

Mr. B stopped the problem behavior after receiving a verbal warning from his superior.

However, the following year, Mr. B was promoted to a higher position, and the sexual harassment started again, Mr. A says.

[Victim A: Suddenly hitting honey chestnuts, pinching the cheeks, and talking while touching my knee in the car. One time, while suddenly hugging my shoulders, they say I get prettier because I lose weight. .]

He says he even raised the issue with the head of the Jingak Order, the head of the Tongri sect, but to no avail.

I transferred Mr. B to Daegu to separate him from the victim, and since then he has served as a director of the welfare foundation under Jingakjong and came to the office in Seoul where Mr. A works.

[Jingakjong High Priest: You have suffered a lot, the victim. (At the time, the perpetrator) worked as a member of the Jongdan’s parliament and was also appointed as a director of the (Welfare Foundation), so it would have hurt more from the victim’s point of view… .]

Mr. B said that there was physical contact, but there was no intention of sexual harassment.

[Mr. B / High-ranking monk in the offender: There was a time when I patted the shoulder. My hair is itchy again, so I pat it on my head. I also pointed out a few places where it was good to do acupressure and taught them. In the mind of how to relieve the painful area, pat pat... .]

Here, it is also possible that the high-ranking members of the group knew that Mr. B had acted inappropriately for other people, but also tolerated it.

[High-ranking monk (perpetrator B's boss) - Victim A, November conversation: (Perpetrator B) has a lot of problems, according to the Tongri Director, that person (in the past) was also common in Daegu. This guy's XX is also like that in Daegu (he said.)]

In response, the group said that the victim did not demand formal disciplinary action at the time, and that the perpetrator's position at the time was dismissed and local orders were issued and separate measures were taken, respecting the victim's wishes and taking maximum measures.

Person A filed a complaint with the police today (29th) on charges of sexual assault, etc.

(Video coverage: Park Hyun-cheol·Lee Chan-soo, video editing: Lee Seung-hee)

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<Anchor>

Let's talk a little more with reporter Kim Min-jung.

[Reporter Kim Min-jung: Jongdan explained that it was because the victim requested separation rather than disciplinary action. However, due to the lack of discipline, high-ranking monk B was promoted once after receiving a verbal warning. After investigating how such a situation is possible, there is no specific disciplinary regulation for sexual harassment in the sectarian law that the Jingak sect follows. In addition, the organization that inspects monks' disbelief is made up of high-ranking monks in a similar position to Mr. B, so it's actually difficult to find out what's wrong.]

[Reporter Kim Min-jung: SBS reporters covered this case yesterday morning with Jongdan.

The group said that they would try to improve the system a bit, such as preparing a gender-sensitive education program for monks and making disciplinary rules for sexual harassment.

However, after we did the coverage, it is said that the high-ranking monks, including the head of the Tongni, summoned the victim separately.

He said that if the news went out, negative things would happen to both the organization and the victim, so they were told not to go out on the news.

It is said that the victim recorded the situation with anxiety.

Let's hear it.]

[Director of Tongri: If this is aired right now, it's going to take a lot of damage right now.

If you think that there is no such thing (no worries about damage), then ○○○-sama does not have the qualifications to lead an organized life.

You will probably get hurt yourself, and you will also receive secondary damage.

right?

If we do it more smoothly, then the end is good, and if there is something else we want, if we can listen to it...]

[Reporter Kim Min-jung: They said they would fix the wrong part in the front, and secondary damage from the back. It clearly shows that he is in a hurry to cover up the mistake by mentioning it.]

(Video editing: Lee Seung-jin)