Seongcheol Lim, Head of the Integrated Union Seoul Branch, "External Audit Needed for Sexual Harassment and Assault"... Mayor Oh Se-hoon Says "OK!"

Director Im Seong-cheol raised the need for an investigation by an 'external agency' due to limitations of internal audits on sexual harassment, assault, and power abuse during a meeting with Mayor Oh Se-hoon starting at 10 AM on the 21st... Mayor also agreed to prepare countermeasures.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Im Seong-cheol, Head of the Seoul Headquarters of the Integrated Union (to the right of Mayor Oh), along with other Seoul city union executives

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] "An investigation by an external agency is absolutely necessary for public officials involved in sexual harassment, sexual assault, and power abuse. Internal audits clearly have limitations."

This statement was made by Lim Seong-cheol, head of the Seoul branch of the Integrated Labor Union, during a meeting with Mayor Oh Se-hoon held at the Seoul Mayor's office from 10 a.m. on the 21st.

Amid growing social concerns over sexual assault and related issues, he emphasized that internal audits cannot conduct proper investigations or establish effective eradication measures.

In response, Mayor Oh said that especially regarding power-abusing public officials and sexual harassment/assault cases, the matter would be adopted as an agenda item by the Seoul City District Mayors' Council and discussed so that independent bodies, such as a human rights supervisor separate from the audit officer, can conduct investigations.

On this day, Mayor Oh held a meeting with the Seoul Regional Public Officials Labor Union Federation at the mayor's office. This was the first meeting with labor union chairpersons in the Seoul area since Oh Se-hoon took office in April. Sixteen people, including Shin Yong-su, chairman of the Seoul City Labor Union, and Lim Seong-cheol, head of the Integrated Labor Union Seoul branch, attended. The district labor union chairpersons offered congratulations and raised concerns.

The proposals included ▲ establishing a permanent communication channel between Oh Jae-hyung, chairman of the Seoul Education Office Federation, and the Seoul Mayor ▲ improving investigation methods by outsourcing sexual harassment, sexual assault, and power abuse cases involving public officials to external agencies, as suggested by Lim Seong-cheol, head of the Integrated Labor Union Seoul branch ▲ reconsidering the policy excluding district labor union chairpersons from receiving Seoul Mayor commendations, raised by Jo Chung-sung, chairman of the Dongdaemun District Labor Union ▲ expanding budget support and personnel for COVID-19 prevention in districts, proposed by Kim Hoe-sik, chairman of the Nowon District Labor Union ▲ securing budgets for the foundation incorporation of the Media Foundation TBS, suggested by Lee Young-jun, chairman of the TBS Labor Union ▲ and requesting special leave as a prize for Seoul Mayor commendations, proposed by Lee Sang-su, chairman of the Public Safety Officers Labor Union.

Mayor Oh listened attentively to the proposals from each district labor union chairman and pledged to actively review and improve the issues.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Regional Labor Union Federation, formed on April 22, is a coalition of public officials' labor unions currently composed of Seoul City Hall, Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Integrated Labor Unions of Gangnam District Office, Guro District Office, Nowon District Office, Dongdaemun District Office, and Public Labor Unions, working to promote labor-management cooperation and coexistence.

Shin Yong-su, chairman of the Seoul City Hall Labor Union, said, "We thank Mayor Oh Se-hoon for providing this opportunity. The labor union chairpersons in the Seoul area will do their best to develop the public official organizations and protect union members' rights, and we will all work together to overcome COVID-19."

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