"Appointing a Secondary Sexual Violence Perpetrator as Representative?"... Lee Soo-jung Targets 'Park Won-soon Funeral Committee Chair'

Hong-geun Park Elected as New Floor Leader of the Democratic Party

Professor Lee Su-jeong, Department of Criminal Psychology, Kyonggi University. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Professor Lee Soo-jung of the Department of Criminal Psychology at Kyonggi University expressed opposition to the election of Representative Park Hong-geun, who served as co-executive chairman of the funeral committee for the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, as the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, "A secondary perpetrator?"

On the 25th, Professor Lee shared an article of an interview with Park Ji-hyun, co-chair of the Democratic Party's Emergency Response Committee, along with comments on her Facebook, saying, "Feminists, secondary perpetrators of sexual violence as representatives? As expected."

The article pointed out that Chairman Park criticized Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, saying he "lacks character as a politician" and opposed the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. In the comments shared by Professor Lee, one netizen criticized, "And yet they elect Park Hong-geun as the new floor leader? The person who called Park Won-soon's sexual harassment a unique achievement and unclear cause of death, and even served as funeral committee chairman."

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Park Hong-geun is briefing on the composition of the funeral committee for Mayor Park and the procedures for the funeral ceremony at the Seoul National University Hospital funeral hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of August 12, 2020. Photo by Yonhap News

Floor Leader Park sparked controversy in July 2020 when he represented the Park Won-soon funeral committee in a press briefing and referred to the "sexual harassment victim" as a "person claiming harm."

At that time, Floor Leader Park said, "For the person who has claimed harm, the death of the deceased must be a great shock," and added, "I repeatedly ask that no one who mourns the deceased should harm the person claiming harm."

Also, on the last day of the 49th-day memorial for former Mayor Park in August 2020, he posted on his Facebook, "Whether it is the deceased's fault or mistake, I hope they are judged by the public as they are," and "I want the unique achievements the deceased built throughout his life to be evaluated by history as they are."

Park, classified as part of the 'Park Won-soon faction' within the Democratic Party, declared support for former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung during the last primary and served as his secretary, rising as a 'new close aide.' In the floor leader election held on the 24th, he was elected with the support of the 'pro-Lee faction,' defeating Park Kwang-on, a 'pro-Moon faction' lawmaker.

Meanwhile, on the 17th, Park Ji-hyun criticized in a YouTube interview on 'Dotface' that Democratic Party members paid condolences for the late father of former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung, saying, "I was so angry that I thought I should grab them by the collar."

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