[Summary] 'Sexual Assault Allegation' Kim Byung-wook Finally Leaves Party... People Power Party "Will Observe Judicial Investigation"

Kim Byung-wook Leaves People Power Party "Will Prove Innocence and Return"
People Power Cancels Emergency Committee Meeting... "No Discussion Needed, Meeting Called Off"
Within Party, Some Say "Must Clarify Sexual Assault Allegations Even After Leaving"

Kim Byung-wook, a member of the People Power Party, is questioning at the National Assembly Education Committee's audit on national universities in Daegu, Gyeongbuk, and Gangwon, held on October 19 last year at the Global Plaza of Kyungpook National University in Buk-gu, Daegu. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] The YouTube channel 'Garosero Research Institute' (Gaseyeon) raised allegations that Kim Byung-wook, a member of the People Power Party, sexually assaulted an intern secretary during his time as a former aide, and the aftermath of this incident continues to unfold.

Immediately after the broadcast, Representative Kim denied the allegations, stating, "This is completely untrue," and announced he would take legal action. In a statement on the 7th, Kim said, "I will leave the party to avoid burdening it," and added, "I will return after proving my innocence." The People Power Party had initially planned to hold an emergency emergency response committee meeting to review the allegations against Kim and discuss future measures, but the meeting was canceled after Kim declared his resignation from the party.

Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman, told reporters at the National Assembly, "It seems he left the party to fight legally outside to prove his innocence," adding, "He believes the incident, which occurred before he became a member of the National Assembly, is not true, but he thought it would burden the party, so he made this decision." This suggests that the party leadership did not coordinate Kim's resignation in advance.

Floor leader Joo Ho-young also said, "(The emergency committee) was going to follow procedures such as the Ethics Committee and the Party Affairs Audit Committee to make a decision," and added, "We do not know the facts of the case itself. It should be investigated by judicial authorities to find out."

Regarding this, it is known that the emergency committee initially gathered opinions that strong disciplinary action was necessary. Spokesperson Bae Jun-young said, "The emergency committee members agreed that a firm response was needed, so we planned to discuss it today, but the subject and situation for discussion disappeared."

On the 6th, Garosero Research Institute claimed on their YouTube broadcast that Kim Byung-wook, a member of the People Power Party, sexually assaulted a woman who was once an intern secretary at a lawmaker's office. / Photo by Garosero Research Institute YouTube broadcast capture

Earlier, on the 6th, Gaseyeon claimed to have received eyewitness reports that Kim sexually assaulted an intern secretary from another lawmaker’s office in October 2018, when he was a parliamentary aide.

Gaseyeon stated, "At that time, the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee conducted a national audit of the Korea Expressway Corporation in Gimcheon on October 15, 2018, and moved in advance to a hotel in Andong for an inspection of Gyeongsangbuk-do," adding, "(Ahead of the audit) the Gyeongbuk provincial government arranged a dinner gathering."

They continued, "At that drinking party, Representative Kim met intern secretary A (from the Liberty Korea Party) and secretary B (from the Bareunmirae Party) from other lawmakers’ offices," and claimed, "B was so drunk that they slept on a different bed, but upon waking, witnessed A being raped by Representative Kim."

Additionally, Gaseyeon released related material showing that in April 2020, B sent a message to Kim saying, "You are a member now, but have you apologized to A? I sincerely hope you have apologized." However, Gaseyeon did not specify the source of the report.

In response, Representative Kim immediately posted on his Facebook, stating, "This is completely untrue," and expressed anger at "these filthy and disgusting people polluting South Korea under the guise of broadcasting."

He added, "It is regrettable that the only means to deal with these people is legal action," and warned, "I will take strong civil and criminal measures immediately."

Meanwhile, voices within the party calling for an investigation into Kim emerged right after the emergency committee was canceled. Park Chun-hee, a former Songpa District mayor and a People Power Party candidate for the Seoul mayoral by-election, posted a photo of Kim on her Facebook on the 7th, stating, "Regardless of political advantage or left-right orientation, a thorough investigation must be conducted, and if results warrant responsibility, heavy legal and political accountability must be imposed."

Park added, "The People Power Party, which was preparing an emergency response committee to examine Kim’s sexual assault allegations, canceled the committee after Kim’s resignation, saying 'there is no subject for discussion,'" and emphasized, "The People Power Party must conduct a strict and thorough investigation at the emergency committee level regardless of Kim’s resignation, and urge a fair judicial authority to conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the truth."

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