Bereaved family of Lee Jung-sa: "Repeated forced molestation over a year by those involved in coercion"

Citizens are visiting the condolence altar at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on the 6th to pay their respects to the late Sergeant Lee, who endured sexual violence by a senior officer and attempts at persuasion within the Air Force before taking her own life. / Seongnam = Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Military Specialist Reporter Yang Nak-gyu]The victim of sexual harassment, Sergeant Lee, is alleged to have been forcibly molested multiple times over the past year.

On the morning of the 7th, the victim's family lawyer Kim Jeong-hwan appeared on YTN Radio's "Hwang Bo-seon's Start of a New Morning" and stated, "Starting with the personnel involved in the coercion of this case, there were multiple instances of forced molestation over about a year, and seeing that the victim could not raise issues about it, the harassment was repeatedly carried out as a pattern."

However, Lawyer Kim refrained from elaborating, saying, "Since the investigation is still ongoing, it is difficult to provide detailed information as it may interfere with the investigation."

The victim's family claims that there were at least two additional instances of sexual harassment in the past and filed additional complaints against three personnel, including a sergeant and a warrant officer from the 20th Air Wing, on the 3rd.

Lawyer Kim also revealed circumstances where, after the sexual harassment report, the victim's husband, who is also a soldier, was subjected to coercion and pressure.

He explained, "Even after we officially reported in March, more than two weeks later, one of the suspects came to the husband and, representing the perpetrator's position, asked if he could help cancel the complaint."

He added, "One of the superiors spoke to the husband on behalf of the perpetrator, asking for forgiveness, and after the family learned of this, they told the husband to protest. There is objective evidence of this," describing it as content along the lines of 'Isn't the perpetrator's life pitiful?'"

Regarding the joint investigation by the Ministry of National Defense Prosecutor's Office, Lawyer Kim said, "I believe the prosecutor's office will conduct a thorough investigation," but criticized, "The scope of the search and seizure is too limited. I think it should be conducted more broadly."