Seoul City to Amend 'Gender Equality Basic Ordinance'... Targeting Promulgation and Enforcement in July

Ministry of Gender Equality and Family prepares 'Partial Amendment Plan of Ordinance' and proceeds with interdepartmental consultation... Grounds for Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Review Committee and Confidentiality Obligations Expanded
Committee composed of 7 to 11 members including 1 Chairperson and 1 Vice Chairperson

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is greeting before making a statement on stabilizing the real estate market at the Seoul City Hall briefing room on the 29th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

A seat for the late Park Won-soon sexual violence case victim is prepared at the press conference titled "Speaking Together with the Victims of the Seoul Mayor's Sexual Violence Case," held on the morning of the 17th at a hotel in Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Amid Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's official apology to the victim in the sexual harassment case involving the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has prepared a plan to partially amend the 'Basic Ordinance on Gender Equality' and has entered the consultation process with related departments.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 30th, the Women's and Family Policy Office recently prepared a plan to partially amend the 'Seoul Metropolitan Government Basic Ordinance on Gender Equality' and is currently undergoing procedures prior to approval by the Seoul Metropolitan Council. The partial amendment plan was finally approved by Jo In-dong, the newly appointed First Deputy Mayor for Administration by Mayor Oh.

In December last year, following the 'Special Measures Committee for the Eradication of Gender Discrimination and Sexual Harassment in Seoul,' the investigation and review tasks related to workplace sexual harassment and sexual violence cases were transferred and centralized under the Women's and Family Policy Office. The Women's Rights Officer of the Women's and Family Policy Office is responsible for the victim-centered process of reporting, investigation, decision-making, and victim protection.

The responsible department, the Women's and Family Policy Office, through the amendment plan, established new regulatory grounds for the installation and operation of a Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Review Committee. It also significantly expanded confidentiality obligations, including for committee members, aiming to build a gender-equal and safe working environment and organizational culture. The establishment of the Review Committee follows Mayor Oh's statement on the 20th that “the Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Review Committee will be completely separated from the mayor and elevated to a ‘dedicated special organization’ composed solely of independent external experts.”

The plan includes detailed regulations on functions, composition, term of committee members, disqualification, recusals, dismissal, duties, and notification of review results. Notably, it specifies that the committee will “independently review” judgments, victim protection, and measures to prevent secondary damage, and explicitly states that “if the mayor is identified as the perpetrator of sexual harassment or sexual violence, the committee will not review judgments including secondary damage.” This indicates a stricter application of the ordinance regarding misconduct by the mayor.

The Review Committee to be established will consist of 7 to 11 members, including one chairperson and one vice-chairperson. Members will be appointed by the mayor based on their expertise and experience, with no more than 60% of any single gender. The term of committee members will be two years, with the possibility of one renewal.

Going forward, Seoul aims to promulgate and enforce the ordinance by July 15, and will proceed with consultations with related departments, including legislative notice requests by June 18, as well as regulatory, corruption impact, and gender impact assessments. The plan is to finalize the legislative bill by the end of next month and obtain approval from the Seoul Metropolitan Council in June.

Meanwhile, under Mayor Oh's directive, Seoul plans to implement a ‘One-Strike-Out Policy’ to immediately dismiss perpetrators of sexual harassment and sexual violence, responding with a zero-tolerance principle. The city also intends to open a hotline for reporting sexual misconduct cases and introduce a mandatory 100% completion of prevention education for members of the Seoul Metropolitan Government and its affiliated organizations.

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