[Comprehensive] 4th Anniversary of Gangnam Station Murder Case: Democratic Party and Women's Groups Say "Gender Violence is Widespread in Our Society"

4th Anniversary Rally on the 'Gangnam Station Murder Case' on the 17th to Condemn Sexual Violence
Democratic Party: "We Will Create a Safe Society Without Misogyny"
Jung Sye-kyun: "We Will Pursue Sexual Crimes to the End"
Women's Groups: "Stop Everyday Sexual Violence Against Women"

On the afternoon of the 17th, marking the 4th anniversary of the Gangnam Station female murder case, citizens are laying flowers in front of Exit 10 of Gangnam Station in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] On the 4th anniversary of the Gangnam Station murder case on the 17th, the Democratic Party of Korea, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, and various women's organizations raised their voices in criticism of crimes against women.

On this day, the Democratic Party stated on the 4th anniversary of the Gangnam Station misogynistic murder, "We will create a society where women are safe." Park Sung-min, the youth spokesperson for the Democratic Party, pointed out in a statement, "On May 17, 2016, a woman in her 20s was brutally murdered in a restroom near Exit 10 of Gangnam Station, and the victim was targeted simply because she was a woman," adding, "This was not a random murder, but a clear misogynistic crime."

He continued, "Four years have passed since this tragic death, but hatred against women and gender-based violence still pervade our society," and "The recent Telegram Nth Room incident painfully revealed that women's lives are still not safe."

Spokesperson Park said, "Through the Nth Room, we confirmed that crimes against women are being meticulously carried out in new ways and are spreading widely," and "To eradicate gender discrimination and gender-based violence from our society, the Democratic Party will build laws and systems more thoroughly."

He added, "We will create a safe society where women do not survive by luck, but can live fully as human beings," and "From this, countless discriminations will be abolished, and the door to a 'better society' where the human rights and lives of socially vulnerable groups are protected will open."

Prime Minister Chung posted on his Facebook on the same day, "Today marks the 4th anniversary of the 'Gangnam Station murder case,' where a woman lost her life to a stranger man in downtown Seoul. I offer my deepest condolences to the deceased," and said, "Four springs have already passed since that day, but the grief of the victim's family is still trapped in a cold winter. I also extend my deepest sympathies to the family."

He continued, "Many women feel uneasy in their daily lives. Crimes against women continue without pause," and "The recent Nth Room case, which shocked our society greatly, is a representative example."

He then stated, "The government will ensure that women can live their daily lives with peace of mind," and "We will relentlessly track down digital sex crimes and other sex crimes and make sure the perpetrators pay the corresponding price."

Finally, he emphasized, "'Random crimes' against women are attacks on humanity," and "We will establish a foundation for gender equality throughout society from a gender-sensitive perspective and boldly correct any policies or systems that disadvantage either gender."

On the afternoon of the 17th, at the event "From Gangnam Station Exit 10 to n번방: Continuing to Speak Out Against Sexual Violence" held near Gangnam Station in Seoul, representatives and attendees of People Angry at n번방 are speaking. Photo by Yonhap News

Women's organizations also called on society to "stop the pervasive everyday sexual violence immediately" on the 4th anniversary of the Gangnam Station restroom murder case.

Members of the group 'People Angry at the Nth Room' held a 'Gangnam Station Murder Case 4th Anniversary Sexual Violence Condemnation Relay Rally' near Exit 10 of Gangnam Station in Seoul on this day, demanding the disclosure of the identities of the Nth Room operators and users and their strict punishment.

They said, "The Gangnam Station murder case was a turning point when many women began to fight in their own places," and "The voices criticizing everyday discrimination and contempt experienced simply because they are women continued into the 2018 'Me Too' movement and have become an unextinguishable flame in our hearts."

They added, "Now is the time for the world to move in step with women's demands," and "All 260,000 Nth Room users must be severely punished."

Jung Young-eun, an activist with the Seoul Women's Association Feminist University Student Union club, said, "Four years ago today, one person had to leave this world before realizing her dreams simply because she was a woman," and "The women who survived by luck began to shout for social change."

Jung appealed, "From Gangnam Station to the Nth Room, the violence society inflicts on women is similar," and "Do not ignore the voices of women who want to live with dignity."

Lee Kyung-hee, an activist with Feminism Beonjjeokdan, said, "Courts that dismiss sexual violence as a natural expression of desire have tolerated and produced the Nth Room," and pointed out, "As the hashtag movement 'Nth Room grew up eating verdicts' says, the Nth Room case is the result of courts favorable to sexual violence perpetrators, politics that trivialize women's issues by saying 'later,' and a society rife with discriminatory gender perceptions and stereotypes."

The group said, "To create a society where everyone lives together, men who participated in sexual exploitation crimes must reflect on their crimes," and "We hope they realize, even belatedly, what their crimes meant to the women victims."

They continued, "To end violence against women, a social consensus must be formed that sexual violence crimes will definitely be punished," and "Public interest must be maintained until the end."

The Gangnam Station murder case refers to the incident four years ago on May 17, 2016, when a woman in her 20s was killed by a stranger man in a karaoke room restroom in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

The fact that the perpetrator passed by six men in the restroom and waited only for a woman to commit the crime, and later testified that he committed the crime because he was "disrespected by women," became an opportunity to raise awareness of the seriousness of misogynistic crimes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.