"Not Given a Chance to Apologize," "Media Play"... Controversy Over 'Secondary Harm' Toward Late Park Won-soon's Victim

Jang Young-seung "Korean Women's Movement Is Over"
Hwang Kyo-ik "May Be Played by Complainant's Political Media Play"
Jin Joong-kwon "MeToo Cases Politicized by Partisan Logic"

Kim Jae-ryeon, lead attorney at Law Firm On-Sesang (second from left), is speaking at the "Second Press Conference on the Sexual Violence Case by the Seoul Mayor" held at a press conference room in Jung-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 22nd. From left, Gomi-kyung, executive director of Korea Women's Hotline; Attorney Kim; Song Ran-hee, secretary general of Korea Women's Hotline; Kim Hye-jung, deputy director of Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center; and Lee Mi-kyung, director of Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Regarding the sexual harassment allegations against the late Park Won-soon, former Mayor of Seoul, some individuals have made remarks toward the victim such as "Wouldn't the Mayor have apologized?" and "Watching the (victim's) press conference, I even felt murderous intent," sparking controversy over 'secondary victimization.'

Jang Young-seung, CEO of the Seoul Business Agency, wrote on his Facebook on the 23rd, "The complainant and their representative stated that the reason for the accusation was to find out whether the act violated the law and that they only wanted an apology, but would the Mayor really not have apologized?"

He continued, "I believe that even if the Mayor recognized his wrongdoing based on various circumstances, he clearly did not even have the opportunity to apologize," explaining, "Judging by the timetable revealed by the representative, the accusation, the request for a meeting with the prosecutor, and the media's awareness all happened almost simultaneously."

He added, "They did not give him the time to apologize nor even the time to put his life in order," and said, "I do not know how much I cried reading the brief suicide note written on a crumpled A4 sheet, feeling the urgency."

Jang further criticized, "The reason I am outraged starts from that point," and said, "They held a press conference on the day of the funeral to portray the Mayor as a scoundrel, not even giving the bereaved family and many people who loved the Mayor time to mourn his sudden death."

He added, "They even criticized the request call from the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Women's Policy Office Director to postpone the press conference until after the funeral, calling it pressure," and pointed out, "Until now, all acts of mourning and the citizens' curiosity about the truth have been suppressed by labeling them as secondary victimization."

Jang also expressed his stance on the victim's second press conference on the 22nd. Through his Facebook, he said, "I stopped watching the press conference because I felt murderous intent beyond anger," and added, "Kim Jae-ryeon was making excuses throughout the press conference, using female organization leaders as stooges." He called it "cowardly and evil," and said, "Now, the women's movement in our country is over."

Food columnist Hwang Kyo-ik also wrote on his Facebook on the 23rd, "It is highly likely that the truth of the sexual harassment accusation against Park Won-soon will not be revealed," stating, "There is no way to know whether there is concrete evidence, and the complainant side has no intention of presenting additional evidence."

He added, "Even if Park Won-soon's phone is forensically examined, evidence collection will be limited to the suicide case," and said, "There is no need to exert effort on something (sexual harassment allegations) that will not be revealed."

He sarcastically remarked, "We might be playing into the complainant's political media play. One reason why Park Won-soon made an extreme choice seems clear: 'Abandon me and quickly return to your daily life.'"

On the morning of the 22nd, Kim Jae-ryeon, the lead attorney of On-Sesang Law Firm, is speaking at the "2nd Press Conference on the Power Sexual Violence Case by the Mayor of Seoul" held at a press conference hall in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

This is not the first time there has been controversy over secondary victimization toward the victim. After the victim's first press conference on the 13th, broadcasters publicly criticized the victim on their YouTube channels and podcasts.

Park Ji-hee, an announcer for TBS current affairs programs, mentioned the complainant on the 'Clean Zone Podcast' broadcast on the 14th, saying, "I am very curious about what they were doing for four years and why they suddenly came out into the world with lawyer Kim Jae-ryeon now."

She continued, "They said they couldn't report it at first because of the position of Seoul Mayor," and added, "While saying they should have reported it from the beginning, I want to ask why they couldn't report it at that time."

Lee Dong-hyung, a writer hosting YTN Radio's current affairs program 'Lee Dong-hyung's News Face-off,' also made similar remarks, causing controversy. On the 15th, during a live broadcast on his YouTube channel 'Lee Dong-hyung TV,' he said to the complainant, "What kind of Me Too case is this? A Me Too case is 'I couldn't say it back then, but now I have the courage to speak out,' revealing my identity."

He also criticized the complainant, saying, "The accused (former Mayor Park) has ended his life. He made an extreme choice. But she is hiding."

Additionally, Lee said, "Korean feminism is not feminism. It is hatred of the opposite sex. For example, in Gimje City, Jeonbuk Province, they say they won't hire female secretaries, but won't that reduce job opportunities for women?" He added, "The world feminists want will not be realized. The world will not go the way you want at all."

Former Dongyang University Professor Jin Joong-kwon. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, Jin Joong-kwon, former professor at Dongyang University, pointed out that the ongoing secondary victimization toward the victim is a phenomenon caused by "'Moon fans' (supporters of the Moon Jae-in administration) politicizing this case due to their partisan logic."

In a post on his Facebook that day, he said, "The essence of this case is originally male violence against women, group violence against individuals, and superior violence against subordinates, but interpreting it through partisan logic makes people see it only as a conspiracy of the enemy against their own side."

He added, "In the process, widespread secondary victimization occurs by labeling the victim as a gold digger," and criticized, "It is an irony that 'Moon fans,' who support a feminist president, have become the largest group of secondary victimizers in Korea, comparable to the feminist Mayor committing sexual harassment."

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