'Female Student Sexual Harassment Controversy' Song Ok-ryul: "I Complimented Appearance... Admit Mistake"

Yoon Administration's First Fair Trade Commission Chair Song Ok-ryul... Past Sexual Harassment Remarks Controversy
To Female Student: "Your Appearance Is Above Average... Don't You Want to Be Held by Him?"
Song Ok-ryul: "Occurred While Complimenting Student's Appearance... Official Apology Made the Next Day"

President Yoon Nominates Song Ok-ryul as Chairperson of the Fair Trade Commission
(Seoul=Yonhap News) On the 4th, President Yoon Seok-yeol nominated Professor Song Ok-ryul of Seoul National University School of Law as the candidate for Chairperson of the Fair Trade Commission. 2022.7.4 [Provided by the Presidential Office, resale and DB prohibited]
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[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] Song Ok-ryeol, a professor at Seoul National University School of Law and the nominee for the first chairman of the Fair Trade Commission under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, has sparked controversy for reportedly making sexually harassing remarks to his former students. Professor Song stated that he was "complimenting the appearance of a student who was present" and expressed that he "acknowledges the mistake."

According to academic circles on the 4th, eight years ago in 2014, Song, then a professor at Seoul National University School of Law, made comments evaluating the appearances of students during a dinner gathering attended by about 100 professors and students. It is reported that a heavily intoxicated Professor Song said to the students, "You have an above-average appearance, you are below average, and you are above average." He also pointed to a male student sitting at another table and said to a female student, "Don't you want to cuddle with him?" and added, "I want to cuddle."

At the time, students of Seoul National University School of Law prepared a large poster condemning Song. However, Song immediately apologized to the students present, and the parties agreed not to raise the sexual harassment remarks as an issue, reportedly bringing the matter to a close.

President Yoon Seok-yeol Presiding Over the Senior Secretary Meeting
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Ahn Jung-won = President Yoon Seok-yeol is speaking at the Senior Secretary Meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul on the morning of July 4, 2022. 2022.7.4
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However, as President Yoon Seok-yeol nominated Song as chairman of the Fair Trade Commission that day, the past sexual harassment remarks were reexamined. In response, the Democratic Party criticized Song's remarks, saying, "Every person recommended by President Yoon is full of flaws." Cho Oh-seop, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said in a briefing, "Is this level of sexual harassment remark considered no problem for the Fair Trade Commission chairman?" and added, "Since he is a classmate of the president from the Judicial Research and Training Institute, the personnel screening is too seriously lacking to say it was not properly conducted." Song is a classmate of President Yoon from the 23rd Judicial Research and Training Institute class.

Following the controversy over the past sexual harassment remarks, Song promptly issued a statement. He said, "The remarks at the time occurred during a conversation complimenting the appearance of students present," and "I officially apologized to the students the next day at a meeting organized by the dean." He added, "There was no request for additional measures from the students regarding the sexual harassment remarks," and "The school also conducted an investigation targeting the students but did not impose any particular disciplinary action."

Song also apologized, saying, "I acknowledge my mistake." He stated, "I sincerely apologize once again for causing discomfort to those present due to inappropriate remarks at the 2014 dinner gathering," and "I acknowledge my mistake and am deeply reflecting on it."

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