Kim Jong-chul, 5 Days After Sexual Harassment Incident, Says at Press Conference "Misogyny is Widespread in Our Society"

Statement from Justice Party Press Conference on the 20th
"The Composition of Sexual Power in Society is Structured to Disadvantage Women"

Kim Jong-cheol, leader of the Justice Party, who resigned from the party leadership on the 25th due to a sexual harassment incident involving party member Jang Hye-young. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Kim Jongcheol, leader of the Justice Party, who was suspended from his position following allegations of sexual harassment against fellow party member Jang Hyeyoung, has been confirmed to have made remarks emphasizing the need to eradicate misogyny after the incident.

On the 20th, during the Justice Party's New Year press briefing held at the National Assembly, Kim referred to RPS (Real Person Slash) by stating, "Under no circumstances should this be used to cover up the widespread misogyny, violence against women, or sexual violence present in our society." This statement came five days after the sexual harassment incident on the 15th.

RPS refers to a genre of fiction that features real-life male idols or celebrities as characters. On the 11th, controversy arose after claims surfaced that these works frequently depicted sexual assault and sex crimes.

When asked about the so-called 'RPS controversy' during the briefing, Kim said, "I have heard of RPS but honestly do not know much about it," while emphasizing, "Even if it appears that way, the structure of sexual power in society is indeed disadvantageous to women."

He added, "It should not serve as an alibi to overcome misogyny or sexual violence," and "It must not be used to cover up the reality where women suffer from sexual violence."

Bae Bok-ju, Vice President and Head of the Gender and Human Rights Headquarters of the Justice Party (left), and spokesperson Jung Ho-jin are announcing the decisions made at the leadership meeting regarding the sexual harassment incident involving party leader Kim Jong-chul on the morning of the 25th at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News

Kim's remarks at the time sparked criticism from some quarters as 'nonsense.' Critics pointed out the hypocrisy of condemning sexual violence against women while committing sexual harassment against a fellow party member.

On social networking services (SNS) and online communities, numerous posts criticized Kim. Netizens expressed, "It's unacceptable to commit such acts while claiming to support women's rights. It's deceiving one's conscience," "I am truly disappointed," and "A hypocritical act that deeply wounds the women's rights movement."

Meanwhile, on the 25th, the Justice Party held an emergency press conference at the National Assembly to disclose the sexual harassment incident involving Kim.

At the press conference, Bae Bokju, the party's Deputy Leader and Head of the Gender and Human Rights Bureau, stated, "The sexual harassment incident involving Kim Jongcheol occurred on January 15th, and the victim is party member Jang Hyeyoung."

She explained, "The incident happened when Kim was leaving after having a meal with Jang in Yeouido for a party business meeting. After much deliberation, Jang informed me, as the Head of the Gender and Human Rights Bureau, about the incident on the 18th."

Prior to the press conference, the Justice Party held a leadership meeting and decided to file a complaint with the Central Party Disciplinary Committee as part of the party's disciplinary procedures, suspending Kim from his position according to party regulations.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Jang does not intend to pursue criminal charges against Kim.

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