Justice Party Vice President Bae Bok-bu (left) and Jeong Ho-jin, chief spokesman, bowed their heads to apologize while explaining the sexual harassment of CEO Kim Jong-cheol at the National Assembly Communication Hall on the 25th. Reporter Oh Dae-geun
Justice Party CEO Kim Jong-cheol committed sexual harassment against a member of the same party and withdrew from the post on the 25th. It is shocking in that it is the first time that a representative of the public party with a seat in the park resigns due to sexual misconduct, and it is a progressive party that was most active in expelling sexual violence. The Justice Party will have to deal with this matter as strictly as it has expressed externally.
After a week of investigation, the Justice Party defined it as a “non-controversial sexual harassment case”, and then removed President Kim from the position at the delegation meeting on that day and filed a complaint with the Central Party Committee and initiated disciplinary procedures. Representative Kim acknowledged all the facts and apologized to the victims, party members, and the people. As Vice President Bae Bok-joo said that it was “very embarrassing and terrible news,” it could not but be a serious injury to the morality of the progressive party. Fortunately, at the party level, the fact that the representative’s sexual harassment is not hessed or the perpetrators are not liable for a transparent post-processing. In the past, it has been common for political parties and neighbors to wrap up and negotiate the perpetrators against sexual crimes by politicians, hurting the victims deeper and preventing improvement, but I hope the Justice Party will not repeat these issues through decisive response.
From former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon to President Kim, the sex abuses of those who were considered to be the most sensitive to the improvement of women’s rights reveal the reality that the structure of sexual violence and gender discrimination is solid. Rep. Jang Hye-young, a victim, said in a statement, “The fact that I am an incumbent lawmaker never meant that I could be a victim. As long as the perpetrators of sexual violence are everywhere, anyone can be a victim of sexual violence.” After the Me Too movement began in earnest due to prosecutor Seo Ji-hyun’s disclosure in January 2018, what our society has learned is that it is power itself, not sexual instinct, that makes sexual violence possible. The more high-ranking and influential politicians with great power, the more they need to be vigilant and try to improve the ceremony. Ultimately, the way to eradicate sexual violence is to address gender discrimination rooted in laws, institutions, culture and awareness.
