[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Growing Doubts Surrounding the Military Authorities' Investigation

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Ministry of National Defense has decided to form a joint investigation team as well as a military prosecution investigation review committee regarding the sexual harassment case involving a female non-commissioned officer of the Air Force's 20th Fighter Wing. This measure was taken amid growing suspicions of inadequate investigation by the military authorities.

A military official stated on the 3rd, "We will reinvestigate the sexual harassment incident from the beginning with the suspect who was arrested yesterday," adding, "All military personnel suspected of participating in systematic concealment, inducement, or intimidation during the investigation process will be summoned."

Going forward, the investigation team is expected to clarify not only the sexual harassment by Sergeant Jang but also the attempts by superiors of the 20th Fighter Wing to induce and conceal the incident, as well as suspicions of initial inadequate investigation by the military police of the 20th Fighter Wing.

Inside and outside the military, there are suspicions that the Air Force military police initially had no intention to investigate, given that they classified Sergeant Lee’s death as a simple death. The Air Force military police reported the case as a "simple death" to the Ministry of National Defense investigation headquarters on the 23rd of last month, the day after Sergeant Lee’s death. The report only included basic information such as the circumstances of the discovery, on-site inspection results, autopsy, and funeral arrangements, but did not include any details about the victim’s harassment. A military official explained that in cases of sexual violence, related information must be reported together upon death.

In particular, the Air Force military police neither detained Sergeant Jang nor confiscated his mobile phone. It was only after the case was transferred to the Air Force military prosecution and nine days after Sergeant Lee’s death, on the 31st of last month, that Sergeant Jang’s mobile phone was seized. This was three months after the incident occurred.

Although witness testimonies conflict, the Air Force has yet to ascertain the facts. At the time of the sexual harassment, there was a junior non-commissioned officer (Corporal) driving the vehicle along with the two individuals. This person is the sole witness. The driver reportedly testified during the military police investigation that he "did not notice anything at all." The accused, Sergeant Jang, stated that he "does not remember" some of the allegations. However, considering that the vehicle was an SUV and the bereaved family testified that the victim could not endure the harassment and got out of the vehicle, there are concerns about the credibility of the witness testimonies themselves. The Air Force has yet to even grasp the differing testimonies from the victim and other unit superiors regarding the reporting process.

There are also indications that the Air Force attempted to induce Sergeant Lee. The bereaved family claims that Sergeant Lee, unable to endure the harassment, got out of the vehicle and immediately called a superior who was present at the dinner. In contrast, the Air Force military police reportedly believe that the superior was informed only the next morning on the 3rd, and that the report was passed on to the battalion commander at 9:50 p.m. the same day. The bereaved family alleges that inducement was coerced during this process. Regardless of the truth, there are calls for an investigation into why there was a delay of more than 10 hours in reporting the sexual harassment to the battalion commander after the initial report. The victim’s mobile phone, secured as evidence by the prosecution team, reportedly contains phone call recordings, text messages, and KakaoTalk messages that could prove inducement.

Some criticize the Ministry of National Defense’s sexual violence countermeasure, the Sexual Grievance Specialist Counselor system, as ineffective. Sergeant Lee reportedly received 22 counseling sessions from a civilian sexual grievance specialist counselor affiliated with the 20th Fighter Wing after the incident. Notably, on April 15, during counseling, Sergeant Lee sent a text message to the counselor expressing a desire to commit suicide and subsequently received about six counseling and psychiatric treatments at a local sexual violence counseling center over two weeks. However, no counseling was conducted through the military counselor.

Military authorities are reportedly forming a de facto joint investigation team involving the military prosecution, military police, and the Ministry of National Defense to investigate the sexual harassment case involving the female non-commissioned officer of the Air Force’s 20th Fighter Wing. They also plan to establish and operate a "Military Prosecution Investigation Review Committee." This is the first time such a committee has been established at the military prosecution level.