Human Rights Commission Conducts Ex Officio Investigation into 'Park Won-soon Sexual Harassment Allegations' (Update)

Choi Young-ae, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, is speaking at the 26th Standing Committee meeting held on the 30th at the National Human Rights Commission in Jung-gu, Seoul. The Commission plans to decide whether to conduct an ex officio investigation into the agenda items requested by victims and women's organizations regarding allegations of sexual harassment by the late Park Won-soon, former Mayor of Seoul. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) will conduct an ex officio investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against the late Park Won-soon, former Mayor of Seoul.

On the morning of the 30th, the NHRCK held its 26th Standing Committee meeting and decided to carry out an ex officio investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against former Mayor Park. The Commission stated, "Initially, the committee maintained continuous communication with the victim regarding three cases filed as third-party complaints," adding, "The victim requested an ex officio investigation by the Commission on the 28th, and after reviewing the requirements for such an investigation under the National Human Rights Commission Act, this decision was made."

The NHRCK plans to form a separate ex officio investigation team to conduct the inquiry. The investigation will comprehensively examine ▲ acts of sexual harassment and related misconduct by the former Mayor of Seoul ▲ the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s tolerance and complicity regarding sexual harassment damages and the structural factors that made this possible ▲ and the overall system related to sexual harassment cases, while reviewing improvement measures.

Under the National Human Rights Commission Act, sexual harassment includes all acts of 'sexual molestation,' 'sexual violence,' 'forcible molestation,' and 'sexual harassment' committed through abuse of power. It refers to situations where public institution employees, employers, or workers use their positions in work, employment, or other relationships to cause sexual humiliation or disgust through sexual conduct, or impose employment disadvantages for refusing sexual conduct or other demands.

Additionally, the NHRCK announced plans to review procedures for handling sexual harassment cases involving elected public officials.

Earlier, on the 28th, the victim requested the NHRCK to conduct an ex officio investigation, demanding the identification and improvement of gender-discriminatory elements in the hiring criteria for secretaries to heads of institutions in the Seoul Metropolitan Government and public institutions, confirmation of continuous sexual molestation and sexual harassment by former Mayor Park Won-soon against the victim, who was his official secretary, and appropriate measures for victim relief, among eight other issues.

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