'Institution Head Sexual Harassment Case' Handling Speeds Up... Recurrence Prevention Measures Must Be Submitted Within a Month

Measures After Sexual Harassment Incident by Institution Head
Submission of Recurrence Prevention Plan Reduced from 3 to 1 Month
Effective from the 19th of Next Month

In the future, when a sexual violence incident occurs involving the head of a central administrative agency or a local government head (including education superintendents), the respective institution must prepare a recurrence prevention plan within one month and submit it to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

On the 26th, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced that the revision of the "Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Prevention of Sexual Violence and Protection of Victims" containing this provision was approved at the Cabinet meeting. This revision was prepared to support the "Act on the Prevention of Sexual Violence and Protection of Victims," which was amended last April to strengthen the response system for sexual violence incidents in the public sector. The act shortens the submission period for recurrence prevention plans from three months to one month, applicable only to incidents involving agency heads.

Previously, in 2020, following a series of sexual violence incidents involving former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung, former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don, and the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family established a dedicated reporting window for agency heads at the "Public Sector Workplace Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Reporting Center." According to data submitted by the office of Rep. Yang Yi-won of the Democratic Party to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, more than 2,600 cases of sexual violence and sexual harassment occurred in public institutions from July 2021 to June last year. Notably, sexual violence and harassment incidents involving agency heads have continued without interruption.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The revision of the enforcement decree defines the scope of "incidents involving agency heads, etc." as those involving the heads of central administrative agencies under Article 2, Paragraph 2 of the Government Organization Act, and local government heads (including education superintendents). Additionally, it establishes penalty standards for fines imposed for violating correction orders related to the obligation to report sexual violence incidents and submit recurrence prevention plans. The fines are 1.5 million KRW for the first violation, 3 million KRW for the second, and 5 million KRW for the third.

Furthermore, the qualifications for workers at sexual violence counseling centers and protection facilities, including heads and counselors, have been expanded from requiring practical experience in "sexual violence prevention-related work" to "work related to the prevention of domestic violence, sexual harassment, prostitution, stalking, etc." The revision will take effect from the 19th of next month.

Shin Young-sook, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, stated, "With this revision of the enforcement decree, it is expected that swift handling of power-based sexual crime cases within institutions will be possible, thereby strengthening victim protection. We will continue to support creating a safe organizational culture where people can work with peace of mind through on-site inspections of institutions where incidents occur and organizational culture diagnoses for preventing sexual harassment."

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