Former Seoul National University Professor Accused of Sexual Harassment of Student Requests Citizen Jury Trial: "I Want to Be Judged by the People"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] A former Seoul National University professor, who was indicted on charges of sexually harassing his graduate student, denied all allegations at the first trial and requested a jury trial.

A, a former professor in the Department of Spanish Language and Literature at Seoul National University, who was indicted on charges of forcible molestation, denied the charges during the trial held on the 8th at the Seoul Central District Court before Presiding Judge Jeong Seong-wan of Criminal Division 14.

Before the trial began, A also requested Judge Jeong to allow a jury trial. In response, Judge Jeong stated that he would decide whether to refer A to a jury trial at a later date.

A’s defense attorney explained, "There are some differences in the circumstances of the case, and there was no intent to molest," adding, "We applied for a jury trial with the intention of having the public judge whether this was truly an act of sexual harassment or just physical contact without molestation charges."

He further elaborated, "We believe that not all physical contact constitutes sexual harassment," and said, "If someone feels sexual humiliation from having their foot stepped on, we want to have a judgment on whether all physical contact can be considered sexual harassment based on such subjective perceptions."

A is accused of repeatedly sexually harassing his student, Kim Silvia, by putting his hand inside her clothes to touch her body and forcibly linking arms with her while attending academic conferences abroad between 2015 and 2017 during his tenure as a professor at Seoul National University.

Kim reported A’s sexual harassment to the university’s Human Rights Center, an internal investigative body, but when disciplinary actions were insufficient, she filed a complaint with the prosecution in June last year.

The police, who received the case from the prosecution and investigated it, sent A to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment in October last year, and the prosecution brought A to trial.

Seoul National University held a faculty disciplinary committee in August last year and dismissed A.