Jang Hye-young Expresses "Regret" Over Citizen Group's Accusation... Ha Tae-kyung Asks "Do You Want to Revive the Crime of Complaint?"

Due to Unilateral Accusation by Civic Group... Jang Hye-young "Expresses Regret"

Ha Tae-kyung, member of the People Power Party. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 27th, Ha Tae-kyung, a member of the People Power Party, urged, "Clearly state whether you want the revival of the crime requiring a victim's complaint," amid Justice Party lawmaker Jang Hye-young expressing regret over a civic group’s criminal complaint against former Justice Party leader Kim Jong-chul without her consent. The crime requiring a victim's complaint refers to offenses punishable only if the victim files a complaint.

On the same day, Ha posted on his Facebook, saying, "If Lawmaker Jang and the Justice Party intend to make claims that directly contradict the reasons and purposes of enacting the law abolishing the crime requiring a victim's complaint, it would be responsible as a legislative body to first propose a bill to revive the crime requiring a victim's complaint."

He added, "The Justice Party has stood on the position that sexual crimes should be regarded not as individual deviations but as social problems," and "Therefore, they have supported the abolition of the crime requiring a victim's complaint, which allows punishment if a third party files a complaint even if the victim does not wish to."

He continued, "Yet now they say not to criminally report the sexual harassment allegations against their own party leader," and criticized, "This is not only a claim that disregards the current judicial system but also an action that reverses their past stance. Even those who have worked on gender equality movements alongside the Justice Party are criticizing the party’s recent actions."

Ha explained, "The crime requiring a victim's complaint for sexual offenses, abolished in 2012, had a long history of debate. Those who wanted to maintain it, like Lawmaker Jang, were concerned about secondary victimization of victims," and "However, after efforts by the women's movement to prevent more sexual crime victims, it was finally abolished."

He added, "This included active support from senior Justice Party politicians such as Lawmaker Sim Sang-jung, and it was also part of Sim’s presidential campaign pledges."

Finally, Ha said, "I understand Lawmaker Jang’s concerns as a victim," but pointed out, "Since Lawmaker Jang herself and the Justice Party brought this issue into the public arena, they also bear public responsibility."

Jang Hye-young, Justice Party member. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, Lawmaker Jang expressed regret over the civic group 'Hwalbindan' filing a police complaint against former leader Kim Jong-chul without her consent.

On her Facebook, Jang stated, "In light of the fundamental principle of sexual violence response prioritizing the victim’s recovery of daily life, despite my clear expression of the will as the victim to seek a communal resolution, I deeply regret that a criminal complaint against the perpetrator was unilaterally pursued without any communication with me, ignoring my intentions."

She said, "It is very unfair to continuously entangle me in the victimization incident against my will while I am struggling to recover my daily life in the way I want as the victim," and "The decision not to proceed with a complaint through the judicial system was not for the perpetrator but a choice for myself."

She continued, "Why should I, who am suffering from unjust secondary victimization, have to painfully recall and explain the damage again through a third party’s complaint I did not want, and endure the inevitable secondary victimization that accompanies this process?" and criticized, "The actions of the civic group are a reckless act that hinders rather than helps my return to daily life."

Meanwhile, sexual harassment is not a crime requiring a victim's complaint nor a crime subject to non-prosecution by the victim’s will, so investigation and punishment are possible regardless of complaints or the victim’s intentions.