Ministry of Education Reports Only One Ex Officio Investigation Since Establishing Sexual Harassment and Assault Reporting Center

Center Established in 2018, Reporting Cases Reach 185
Specialized Counseling Staff at Reporting Center Currently 'Vacant'

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] It has been revealed that since the establishment of the Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Reporting Center, the Ministry of Education has conducted an ex officio investigation only once.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Education to Kwon In-sook, a member of the National Assembly's Education Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, 185 reports have been received since the reporting center was established in 2018.

When a victim reports or files a complaint, the Ministry of Education forwards the case to the relevant education office for elementary, middle, and high schools, or to the respective university for higher education institutions, and receives the processing results. If the results are appropriate, the Ministry responds to the reporter based on those results; if inappropriate, they request supplementation and receive a response again. If organizational concealment or minimization is suspected, the Ministry conducts an ex officio investigation.

The Ministry of Education conducted an ex officio investigation in only 1 out of the 185 cases. Assemblywoman Kwon pointed out, "In situations where most perpetrators are identified as teachers, simply forwarding the cases to the relevant institutions cannot guarantee the prevention of secondary damage within the organization or the objectivity of follow-up measures." Over 90% of perpetrators were teachers, and in cases occurring at universities, 100% of perpetrators were teachers. Victims were students in 76.7% of the cases.

It was also revealed that the professional counseling staff assigned to the reporting center are currently vacant due to contract expiration. Assemblywoman Kwon stated, "The functions of the reporting center and the roles of professional counseling staff should be reconsidered in the future, and to ensure continuity and expertise, hiring should be pursued through public service positions rather than short-term contract workers."

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