Seoul City, "Will Actively Cooperate with National Personnel Committee Survey" ... Abandons Formation of 'Joint Investigation Team' (Update)

City's Position on the Second Press Conference of Victim Support Organizations

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government has effectively abandoned the formation of a 'joint investigation team' that was being pursued to uncover the truth regarding allegations of sexual harassment by the late Park Won-soon, former mayor of Seoul. Instead, it has decided to actively cooperate if the victim requests a fact-finding investigation through the National Human Rights Commission of Korea.

Hwang In-sik, spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Government, held an emergency briefing on the afternoon of the 22nd and expressed this position in response to a press conference held that morning by the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center and Korea Women's Hotline, organizations supporting the victim.

Spokesperson Hwang said, "Today, as the victim support organizations expressed their refusal to participate in the Seoul city fact-finding investigation team, the formation of the joint investigation team has become practically difficult," adding, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government regrets the refusal of the victim support organizations to participate in the fact-finding investigation team."

He continued, "If the victim requests an investigation through a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission, we will actively cooperate with the investigation," emphasizing, "We will also sincerely engage in the ongoing police and prosecution investigations related to aiding and abetting, silent consent, and the leaking of the fact of the accusation."

Earlier, on the 13th, when the victim support organizations demanded the formation of an investigation team to uncover the truth of the incident, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 15th that it would form a joint investigation team including external experts. Since then, it has continuously requested the victim protection organizations to participate in the joint investigation team through direct visits and four rounds of official letters, but meetings were not arranged, nor were any responses received.

Spokesperson Hwang explained, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government hopes that an active investigation and truth-finding will be carried out as soon as possible," adding, "That is the way to end the current social controversy and to protect the human rights of the victim, who is also a Seoul city employee, and support their return to daily life."

The government plans to actively consider and support any requests necessary for the victim to return to daily life and continue their public service career at any time.

Spokesperson Hwang said, "As a responsible party in the current situation, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will actively cooperate in all processes of investigation and prosecution," and added, "We will also simultaneously make internal efforts to improve the organizational culture of gender discrimination and sexual harassment."

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