Yang Hyang-ja to Park Won-soon Victims: "I Was Wrong, I Want to Ask for Forgiveness"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Amid the fact that the Democratic Party has yet to issue an official statement regarding the press conference held on the 17th by the victim of the late Park Won-soon, former Seoul Mayor, concerning the sexual violence case, Yang Hyang-ja, a Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, apologized saying, "I was wrong. I want to ask for forgiveness."

Through Facebook on the same day, Yang said, "I agreed to the very inappropriate expression 'victim complainant' at the early stage of the incident. That was my fault," adding, "As a woman before being a politician, I failed to empathize with the victim's pain."

He continued, "I only hope that my small apology can lessen even a speck of the weight of the despair the victim carries," and reiterated, "I am sorry to the victim and deeply ashamed of myself."

Yang reflected, "I started politics to break the glass ceiling for working women and to create a world free of power-based sexual violence," emphasizing, "Moreover, I was complicit in the wrongdoing that must be corrected."

He urged, "This Seoul mayoral election is an election caused by our Democratic Party's mistakes. Responsibility and resolution are our duties," and called for, "Our party must also step up to stop the secondary harm being inflicted on the victim."

He raised his voice, saying, "As a Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, I demand responsible party-level measures against secondary harm," and added, "Please hold our party's elected officials accountable for secondary harm. I will not evade responsibility if I am at fault."

He further stated, "No one can deny the facts of the harm the victim experienced. These facts have been acknowledged by the court and the National Human Rights Commission," and added, "The party must take the lead in strictly punishing acts that challenge the facts. We will reflect and reflect again on all our wrongdoings that the victim has endured."

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