'Female Public Official Sexual Harassment' Controversy Over Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don's Past Dinner Gathering Photo
Ministry of Gender Equality Investigation Finds Most Sexual Harassment Occurs at Dinner Gatherings
Experts Urge Effective Measures to Prevent Sexual Violence
On the morning of the 23rd, Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don held a resignation press conference at Busan City Hall, admitting to the sexual harassment of a woman. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Yeonju Kim] #Jobseeker Kim (26) was shocked by the company dinner culture she first experienced while working as an intern at a company in 2017. When the highest-ranking superior joined the gathering late, other superiors naturally called female interns to sit on either side of him. Although the instruction to keep an eye on the empty glasses and pour drinks accordingly sounded strange, the atmosphere was such that no one except Kim and the other female interns paid any attention. Kim said, "I was embarrassed because it was a situation I had only seen in dramas or news, but since everyone seemed to think it was nothing unusual, I had no choice but to endure it," adding, "I was always on edge during company dinners, worried that something dangerous might happen."
#Office worker Lee (28) is troubled by a superior who only passes around drinks among female employees. The culture is to pass the glass you are drinking from directly to the next person to drink in turn. Although Lee suspected the practice of selecting only female employees to pass the glass was questionable, she thought raising the issue would bring no benefit and was afraid it might lead to unfair consequences. Lee appealed, "Having female employees sit next to the superior is standard at company dinners," adding, "The drinking culture?pouring drinks, passing glasses, giving toasts?is so outdated that it’s hard to believe it’s 2020, and it’s gotten to the point where I dread company dinners." She also said, "If the superior gets drunk, he playfully hits arms or legs, and I just hope the gathering ends quickly."
◆ Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don faces controversy over seating female employees around him at company dinners
On the 23rd, after former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don decided to resign due to a sexual harassment case involving a female public official, a photo he posted on Twitter of a company dinner in the past sparked controversy. The photo, taken at a dinner with outsourced workers from a business office in November 2018, showed mostly men, but the fact that women were seated next to and opposite Oh was criticized. In response to the controversy, Oh apologized, admitting a lack of gender sensitivity.
On the same day Oh resigned, a Seoul City Hall employee was reportedly investigated by police on charges of sexually assaulting a colleague. According to Seoul City, on the evening of April 14, the day before the April 15 general election, a male employee took a heavily intoxicated female colleague to a motel and sexually assaulted her after a dinner with the mayor’s secretariat. The male employee worked in the mayor’s secretariat.
◆ Gender discrimination rampant at company dinners... sexual harassment frequently occurs
Although awareness of workplace sexual harassment has spread throughout society, gender discrimination at company dinners remains prevalent. Female employees are often seated next to superiors to pour drinks, and physical contact is frequently attempted.
According to the 2018 Sexual Harassment Survey conducted every three years by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (surveying 2,040 employees from 400 public institutions and 7,264 employees from 1,200 private companies), 8 out of 100 Korean workers experienced sexual harassment at work. The rate was especially higher among women and non-regular workers.
The most common location for sexual harassment was company dinner venues (43.7%), followed by offices (36.8%).
A survey conducted over six months in 2018 by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family targeting 1,600 workers and sexual harassment prevention officers found that 81.6% of sexual harassment victims chose to endure the situation without reporting. The percentage of those who experienced sexual harassment increased compared to the 2015 statistics (6.4%).
Office worker Kim (29) said, "At the second round of a company dinner at a karaoke room, a superior wrapped his arm around my shoulder and held my hand because he was in high spirits," adding, "He even asked me to dance with him, which was embarrassing."
Another office worker, Choi (27), said, "During the height of the Me Too movement, a superior who said he was too scared to even talk to female employees got drunk at a company dinner and pressed his body against me," adding, "I could understand if he was unable to control himself, but these incidents always happen to female employees."
Office worker Han (26) said, "At a drinking party with the whole team, someone casually talked about past company dinners at entertainment bars, making it hard to keep a straight face," adding, "The superiors even said, 'Company dinners these days are too wholesome and boring.' I didn’t say to stop because no one else did, so I awkwardly laughed it off."
Han explained, "The superiors who made those remarks were higher-ranking than me, so if I had gotten angry or resisted, I thought I would face unfair treatment," adding, "I think the female employees present felt the same way."
Meanwhile, regarding former Mayor Oh’s resignation, experts emphasized the need for effective measures.
Seo Ji-yul, counseling director at the Busan Sexual Violence Counseling Center, said on the 27th on 'YTN Radio,' "Whether it’s power-based sexual violence or other incidents, there is a real need for an independent organization that is completely unaffected by such influences," adding, "Such an organization should be empowered to investigate incidents to some extent and implement preventive measures to avoid secondary damage. Only a powerful organization can protect victims, so I think that is the most important part."
She continued, "I think our society is at a point where we must deeply reflect on the fact that these kinds of incidents keep recurring."
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