Controversy Over Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Truth and Reconciliation Commission Member Recommended by People Power Party

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] It has recently come to light that lawyer Jeong Jin-gyeong, who was elected as a member of the Past Affairs Settlement Committee for Truth and Reconciliation in the National Assembly as a nominee recommended by the People Power Party, was suspended from his position due to allegations of sexual harassment during his time as a university professor, sparking controversy.

According to political circles on the 9th, Jeong was suspended for three months in 2012 while serving as a professor at the Law School of Chungnam National University for sexually harassing three female students.

In May of the following year, Jeong was dismissed by the university disciplinary committee but appealed the dismissal to the Ministry of Education’s Teacher Appeal Committee. Although the appeal committee ruled in his favor, he ultimately left the university.

In the recommendation letter, the People Power Party stated, "Commissioner Jeong graduated with a Ph.D. in Law from Seoul National University and served as a chief judge at the Daejeon District Court and Suwon District Court from 1989 to 2010, earning recognition for his abilities." Jeong did not include his tenure at Chungnam National University in the career information he submitted to the National Assembly.

The proposal to appoint eight members of the Past Affairs Settlement Committee for Truth and Reconciliation, recommended by both ruling and opposition parties, passed the plenary session of the National Assembly the day before and is now awaiting the president’s appointment procedure.

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