[Q&A] "No Pressure on Park Won-soon Victims... Government and National Assembly Must Develop Responsible Plans"

Mayor Park's 'Sexual Harassment' Accuser's Press Conference
"Victim's Safety Is Important... Other Victims Are Unaware"

On the 13th, at the Korean Women's Hotline in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, Kim Jae-ryeon, the lead attorney of the law firm On·Sesang, revealed the secret chat room invitation message sent by Mayor Park Won-soon to complainant A during the press conference on the "Power Sexual Harassment Case by the Seoul Mayor." / Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] On the 13th, the legal representative of former secretary A, who accused the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon of sexual harassment, along with women's organizations, held a press conference to reveal the progress of the case and urge a thorough investigation. They emphasized, "The state must ensure that the truth can be revealed through proper investigation and inquiry of reported cases from a gender-sensitive perspective." Below is the Q&A session following the press conference.

- Did the victim ever hint at filing a complaint to Mayor Park's side?

▲ Lawyer Kim Jae-ryeon (Legal representative of A) = The victim filed the complaint on July 8, and there was no pressure exerted on the victim, either officially or unofficially. On the day of the complaint, there was absolutely no hint or indication given to the Mayor's office that the complaint had been conveyed to the accused. We requested strict confidentiality from the investigation team, as seizure of mobile phones and other measures were absolutely necessary.

- Since the day Mayor Park went missing, there has been circulation of the complaint contents. Are these identical to the complaint submitted by the victim?

▲ Lawyer Kim = The documents circulated online were not submitted to the investigative authorities. Since the circulated documents contain parts that can identify the victim, we submitted a complaint to the police today regarding the distribution of those documents.

- After the case became known, did the Seoul Metropolitan Government give any official or unofficial hints?

▲ Lee Mi-kyung, Director of the Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center = We began supporting the victim immediately after the complaint was filed. For the victim's safety, we ensured that the support provided was not disclosed externally. We have not been pressured by anyone.

- Is there any connection between the sexual assault case in Seoul in April and this case?

▲ Lawyer Kim = The commonality between the two cases is that they occurred within the Seoul Metropolitan Government. However, I do not think it is appropriate to discuss any specific connections here.

- Just before the press conference, the funeral committee issued a statement requesting to postpone today's press conference. What do you think about that?

▲ Kim Hye-jung, Deputy Director of the Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center = I am not sure what demands were made, so I cannot comment precisely.

- Are there other victims besides the complainant?

▲ Lawyer Kim = I am not aware of any other victims.

- What are the plans after the press conference?

▲ Ko Mi-kyung, Executive Director of Korea Women's Hotline = Next week, we plan to hold a press conference with several organizations. We urge not only the National Police Agency and Seoul Metropolitan Government but also the government, political parties, and the National Assembly to take responsible measures.