Kwon Seong-dong on 'Sexual Harassment Allegations': "Malicious Reporting... Will Take Strong Legal Action"

"The claim that the husband sexually harassed or physically touched the wife is completely unfounded... There was no struggle, and they left happily like ordinary supporters."

Kwon Seong-dong, Chief of the Comprehensive Support Headquarters of the People Power Party's Election Countermeasures Committee, is answering reporters' questions regarding the voluntary resignation of Co-Chairman Noh Jae-seung at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 9th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Soyoung] Kwon Seong-dong, Secretary General of the People Power Party, announced a strong response, stating that he will take strong legal action against the "malicious reports" regarding the sexual harassment allegations raised by some.

Earlier on the 13th, the YouTube media outlet 'Yeollin Gonggam TV' reported that on the 10th, when Yoon Seok-yeol's campaign team stopped by Gangneung in Gangwon Province for a campaign event, Secretary General Kwon allegedly made sexually harassing remarks to a couple he met at a restaurant during a drinking party with reporters around 1 a.m.

Yeollin Gonggam TV claimed that Secretary General Kwon made physical contact with the wife of the couple and said, "You are pretty. Is there such a beautiful woman in Gangneung?" and told the husband, "You walked very well even though you tripped."

The outlet stated, "The couple reported Secretary General Kwon to the police on-site for sexual harassment, and the police arrived, assessed the situation, and asked the victim if they wished to press charges." They added, "When the police respond, there is a dispatch report. After Yeollin Gonggam TV's reporter inquired at the Gangneung Police Station, it was confirmed through a call with Section Chief Woo at the 112 situation room that the police did respond to the incident."

In response, Representative Kwon issued an official statement on the same day, denying the allegations as "untrue and malicious fabrication."

He explained, "After Yoon Seok-yeol's schedule in Gangneung on the 10th ended, I attended an after-party with reporters who had come down from Seoul. As I was leaving after parting with the reporters, a man drinking at the table right behind me approached and said, 'I am a fan of yours, Congressman. I respect you. I am a junior of Hong OO (my acquaintance),' and requested to take a photo. I took a photo with him and the woman accompanying him."

He continued, "When he introduced her as his wife, I complimented her beauty and said something to the effect that he had married well. That was all." He added, "The couple thanked me as they left."

He further asserted, "It is completely untrue that I sexually harassed or made physical contact with the wife of the couple. There was no scuffle, and they left happily like ordinary supporters."

In response, Yeollin Gonggam TV issued another statement, saying, "Secretary General Kwon portrayed the conversation with the couple as a heartwarming story in his statement. The problem is that the police dispatch part is missing from Kwon's statement." They directly challenged, "If what Representative Kwon says is true and there was no such incident, then why did the police respond at that time? We can request disclosure of the 112 situation room's report and details of the call."

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