Seo Ji-hyun, Intends to Appeal "Expecting a Reasonable Verdict... The Truth Will Be Revealed"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Prosecutor Seo Ji-hyun, who filed a damages lawsuit claiming she was sexually harassed and faced personnel disadvantages by former Prosecutor General Ahn Tae-geun but lost in the first trial, announced her intention to appeal on the 14th.

Immediately after the first trial verdict was announced, Prosecutor Seo wrote a post titled "Absurd" on social networking services (SNS), stating, "The truth will be revealed someday," and added, "I expect a reasonable judgment in the appeal trial."

She asserted, "The fact that an unusual and unfair personnel action was taken to conceal the perpetrator's harassment, and that such unfair personnel action violated personnel principles, has been virtually acknowledged by the Supreme Court."

She continued, "Who would accept a ruling that says taking unfair personnel measures against personnel principles to conceal and retaliate against subordinate harassment is not an abuse or excess of discretion, nor a civil tort?"

Prosecutor Seo added, "I was overwhelmed and heavy-hearted seeing the claim that North Korean troops intervened in the May 18 incident was revealed as a lie only after 30 years," and said, "It pains me to think that justice is established only after 30 years."

In November 2018, Prosecutor Seo filed a damages lawsuit claiming that former Prosecutor General Ahn forcibly harassed her while serving as the head of the Ministry of Justice Policy Planning Division and retaliated against her with personnel actions after being promoted to Director of the Prosecutor's Office, but she lost in the first trial on this day.

Regarding this, former Prosecutor General Ahn was indicted on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights, and was sentenced to two years in prison in the first and second trials. However, the Supreme Court strictly interpreted the law on abuse of authority, overturned the ruling on the grounds of innocence, and the acquittal was confirmed in the retrial after remand.