[Examining Election Promises] 'n번방' 'Non-consensual Rape Crime'... Ruling and Opposition Parties Targeting Women's Concerns

Possession of Sexual Exploitation Videos Also Punishable
All Parties Pledge Firm Response
Disagreement Over Introduction of Non-Consensual Rape Crime
Justice Party and People Party Advocate Legal Amendments

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Ahead of the April 15 general election, the political sphere has launched efforts to appeal to women voters. As this is the first general election since the spread of the Me Too movement in 2018, interest in women's pledges has increased. Additionally, incidents such as the 'Sillim-dong attempted rape case' and the 'Telegram Nth Room case' have emerged as major social issues, expected to become important criteria influencing voters' decisions. It is also noteworthy that in recent elections, such as the 2018 local elections (men 59.9%, women 61.2%) and the 2017 presidential election (men 76.2%, women 77.3%), female voter turnout was higher than that of men.

Major political parties commonly pledged safety measures for single-woman households and a firm response to digital sex crimes such as the Nth Room case. The Democratic Party proposed measures including strengthening punishment for purchasers and possessors of sexually exploitative videos, establishing punishment regulations for blind spots such as threats of distribution and synthetic photo/video damage. The United Future Party announced plans to amend the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes to include threats using videos regardless of consent as punishable sexual violence and to provide institutional support to victims of video threats on par with other sexual violence victims. However, punishment for purchasers and possessors was not included in their pledges.

The Minsheng Party is preparing pledges such as imposing mandatory reporting of child sexual exploitation materials and penalties for violations, strengthening penalties for possession of child sexual exploitation videos, and enhancing sentencing standards. The Justice Party pledged to punish all involved in digital sex crimes?including producers, distributors, possessors, and users?and to block the industrial distribution structure of digital sex crimes. The People's Party also proposed punishing illegal video producers, distributors, and consumers, as well as imposing aggravated penalties for videos that identify victims and for repeat offenses.

The 'non-consensual rape' law, whose necessity was raised after the Me Too movement, shows clear differences among parties. Non-consensual rape refers to revising the criminal law to define rape based on the absence of consent rather than physical force or threats, a change recommended by the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. The Democratic Party is reviewing the introduction of non-consensual rape laws but appears somewhat passive. The United Future Party mentions controversies such as former Blue House administrator Tak Hyun-min's book, former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung's case, and Won Jong-geon's Me Too controversy in their women's pledges, but the actual pledge is not found. The Minsheng Party also does not include non-consensual rape in its pledges.

In contrast, the Justice Party and the People's Party actively advocate for its introduction. Justice Party leader Sim Sang-jung promised on the 6th, "Even the 10 bipartisan non-consensual rape law amendment bills have not been discussed and remain piled up," pledging prompt legal revision. People's Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo said on the 18th of last month, "The global standard is that sexual acts without consent must be punishable," adding, "If an attempt was made to engage in sexual relations without explicit consent or after a refusal was expressed, it will be punished as sexual assault."