Ministry of Foreign Affairs Orders Immediate Recall of Sexual Harassment Diplomat... Meeting with New Zealand Ambassador Also Held

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Judicial Cooperation Upon Official Request from New Zealand... No Official Request So Far"
Proactive Issue Raising Through Media Not Advisable... "Unusual Mention in Normal Call Without Prior Discussion"
Mediation Between Parties Ongoing for 4 Months This Year... No Common Ground Found

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Amid the rapidly expanding allegations of sexual harassment against active diplomat Mr. A, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it has immediately ordered the diplomat's recall. The Ministry also held a meeting with the New Zealand Ambassador to Korea to explain the recall order and plans to emphasize resolving the issue through official judicial cooperation procedures going forward.

On the 3rd, a senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters, "As of today, we have issued a recall order for diplomat Mr. A," stressing that this is a very prompt personnel action in response to the various controversies caused so far.

Diplomat Mr. A, who is accused of sexual harassment, is suspected of having touched specific body parts of a New Zealand male staff member three times while working at the Korean Embassy in New Zealand at the end of 2017. After returning to Korea in 2018, the diplomat was subjected to a one-month salary reduction through an internal audit by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was later assigned as Consul General to another Asian country and has been working there.

This issue resurfaced after the Wellington District Court in New Zealand issued an arrest warrant for Mr. A in February, and the New Zealand government requested cooperation from the Korean government. However, local media reported that the Korean government was not cooperating properly.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to hold a meeting with the New Zealand Ambassador to Korea to explain this personnel action and to request resolution through official judicial cooperation procedures. This is the first meeting with the New Zealand Ambassador to Korea since the incident surfaced. Director General Kim Jeong-han of the Asia-Pacific Bureau will lead the meeting.

A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "During the meeting, we will explain the recall order and emphasize that the proper way to resolve this issue is through official judicial cooperation procedures between Korea and New Zealand."

The Ministry also plans to convey its view that it is undesirable for the New Zealand side to have preemptively raised the issue through local media without an official judicial procedure request. Additionally, it will clarify the issue regarding the diplomatic immunity claimed by New Zealand.

On the 1st (local time), Winston Peters, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated in an interview with New Zealand broadcaster Three Television's program NewsHub that diplomat Mr. A, accused of sexual harassment, "must come to New Zealand to be investigated." He emphasized that the sexual harassment incident is "a crime that occurred in New Zealand, not Korea," and said, "Just as one must follow Roman law in Rome, one must defend oneself according to New Zealand law in New Zealand."

In response, a senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "While the New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have mentioned this matter through the media, the New Zealand side has not officially requested it at the government level," adding, "Raising this issue suddenly during the leaders' phone call on the 28th of last month is also very unusual in terms of diplomatic relations, and we will convey our position accordingly."

The Ministry also plans to actively explain the aspect that the New Zealand side claims the Korean government is refusing to waive diplomatic immunity for diplomat Mr. A and the embassy. The Ministry's position is that the issue of immunity for diplomat Mr. A, who is accused of sexual harassment, should be separated from the immunity issues concerning the Korean Embassy in New Zealand and its staff.

A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The Ministry has never claimed diplomatic immunity for diplomat Mr. A," and emphasized, "On the other hand, it is a natural measure not to waive the diplomatic immunity of our embassy and diplomats in New Zealand." Previously, the Ministry said it could provide documents or written reference materials from embassy staff, but the New Zealand side refused.

With this action by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomat Mr. A will be on standby without a position after recall. The two parties also conducted private mediation procedures over four months this year but failed to reach a final agreement.

A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized, "The Ministry has no intention of hiding specific information and will voluntarily cooperate within the scope of not waiving diplomatic immunity, as proposed in 2017, and will propose this again to the New Zealand side," adding, "We also assisted with the victim's complaints filed with the National Human Rights Commission and the host country's labor department."

[Image source=Yonhap News]