Jeong Cheongrae Orders Investigation into Choi Kangwook over Secondary Victimization Allegations in Cho Kuk Innovation Party Sexual Misconduct Case

"Is It Really a Matter of Life and Death?"
Controversy Over Secondary Victim-Blaming Remarks in Cho Kuk Innovation Party Sexual Misconduct Case

On September 4, Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, ordered a fact-finding investigation into Choi Kangwook, head of the party’s Education and Training Institute, who is suspected of making secondary victim-blaming remarks regarding a sexual misconduct case that arose within the Cho Kuk Innovation Party.


Yonhap News Agency

Yonhap News Agency

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According to political sources, at the end of last month, Choi reportedly made remarks considered to be secondary victimization, such as “Is it really a matter of life and death?” during a lecture at a Cho Kuk Innovation Party event in Daejeon and Sejong, referring to the party’s sexual misconduct case.


Choi was granted a special pardon and reinstatement in the first Liberation Day amnesty under the Lee Jaemyung administration. Previously, Choi lost his seat in the National Assembly after being convicted of issuing a false internship certificate for the son of former party leader Cho Kuk.


Meanwhile, the Cho Kuk Innovation Party sexual misconduct case surfaced in April after it became known that a senior party official had sexually harassed and assaulted another party member. On the same day, spokesperson Kang Mijeong announced her departure from the party, criticizing its inadequate response to the sexual misconduct issue and the secondary victimization of the victim.

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