A monk from the Buddhist foundation 'Jingakjong' has been sent to the prosecution on charges of sexually harassing an employee of a foundation affiliated with the cult.



Seoul Jongam Police Station announced today that it has sent a monk in his 50s to the prosecution for indictment on charges of sexually harassing a 20-year-old employee of the Jongdan Foundation several times (forced molestation, etc.) for about two years from 2017 to 2019.



According to the police, from the beginning of September 2017 to the end of December of the same year, Mr. B molested Mr. A several times inside the building in Jingakjong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, rubbing his hands and shoulders, touching his arm, and stroking his back.



After that, when Mr. A informed his superiors, Mr. B, who received a verbal warning from his superior, stopped the problematic behavior for about a year.



However, from November 2018, the year after Mr. B's promotion, Mr. B sexually assaulted Mr. B several times, such as rubbing Mr. A's shoulder, again in the Jingak Bell.



Mr. A raised the issue even to the head of the Jingak Order, the head of the Tongri, but to no avail.



In 2019, Mr. B pinched Mr. A's cheek and slapped a honey chestnut in the inner hallway of Jingakjong, or even wrapped his arms around the victim's shoulder.



As the problematic behavior continued, Jingakjong transferred Mr. B to Daegu, but Mr. B also came to the office in Seoul where Mr. A worked.



In the end, Mr. A sued Mr. B on December 29, last year, and Hyun Jeong-won, a Jingak sect inspection body, held a disciplinary committee two days after the complaint and decided to 'suspend public authority for 5 years' against Mr. B.



It is a disposition that only maintains the status of a monk and suspends all positions within the sect.



However, this disciplinary action was abruptly suspended two months later, and Jingakjong sent Mr. A, who was working in Seoul, to Daejeon in May.



In response, Mr. A saw this as an 'unfair telegram' and applied for protective measures to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission to cancel the appointment.



A police official said, "B and A were in a hierarchical relationship at work, and there is a colleague who witnessed Mr. B's harassment, and Mr. A is also making consistent statements."



On the other hand, it is known that Mr. B is denying the crime, saying, "It is an act to encourage and comfort the employees."



(Photo = provided by Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)