Air Force 20th Wing Raided... Bereaved Families File Additional Complaint Against Air Force Public Defender

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 Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The family of Sergeant Lee, a victim of sexual harassment, has additionally filed a complaint against a public defender affiliated with the Air Force Legal Office.

The family's attorney, Lawyer Kim Jeong-hwan, submitted a complaint on the afternoon of the 7th to the Ministry of National Defense Prosecution Service in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, accusing public defender A, who initially handled the case, of dereliction of duty and other charges.

It has been confirmed that Defender A never met with Sergeant Lee until her death. It is known that only a few phone calls and text messages were exchanged. The Air Force explained that after Defender A was appointed, personal circumstances such as marriage, honeymoon, and subsequent self-quarantine hindered smooth meetings, but the family claims that the victim, who suffered secondary harm such as coercion after reporting sexual harassment, was effectively neglected.

Before entering the prosecution office that day, Lawyer Kim told reporters, "Besides dereliction of duty, there are other charges that cannot be overlooked," but refrained from elaborating, saying, "It is difficult to specify the charges in detail."

This is the second time the family has submitted a complaint to the prosecution, following the 'secondary harm suspicion' against superiors on the 3rd, and additional complaints have been announced. When asked about plans for further complaints against the Air Force Legal Office and higher-ups, Lawyer Kim said, "Additional complaints may be filed depending on the progress of the investigation."

He emphasized, "In this case, the 'great evil' must be caught," adding, "We need to check if there were problems in the system and ensure that investigations reach the highest responsible levels."

When asked whether the 'great evil' includes former Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Seong-yong and other commanders, he replied, "That is not for us to judge," but added, "If they received accurate reports of this case and failed to take action, I believe they could be included in the 'great evil.'"

Meanwhile, around 4 p.m. on the same day, the Ministry of National Defense Prosecution Service conducted a search and seizure at the Air Force 20th Fighter Wing where Sergeant Lee, the sexual harassment victim, was stationed. The prosecution also searched the residences and offices of unit members suspected of secondary harm and plans to investigate coercion and other actions following the sexual harassment report.