[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Kim Jeong-sik (52), the mayor of Michuhol District Office in Incheon, who was accused of leaving sexually harassing comments on social networking services (SNS), has been cleared of charges following a police investigation.
On the 16th, the Women and Youth Crime Investigation Unit of the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency announced that they had decided not to prosecute Kim under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes for the charge of using communication media for obscenity.
In March, when a woman, A, posted on SNS referring to the director of a certain Korean medicine clinic she usually visited with the comment "It seems like the treatment compatibility is good, so the expert," Kim replied with a comment saying, "Only the treatment compatibility should be good," and sent an emoticon of a character rolling on the floor laughing.
When A protested that "the comment was unpleasant," Kim immediately apologized, but A filed a complaint with the police, stating that she felt as if she had been sexually harassed and that the apology lacked sincerity.
The police confirmed that Kim personally left the comment but judged that the content did not constitute a criminal act. They also determined that it was unlikely Kim intended to harm A, a constituent of his district.
Due to the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police starting this year, the police can now close cases with a 'non-prosecution' decision if they determine there is no evidence of criminal charges, without sending them to the prosecution. Previously, all cases filed by the police were forwarded to the prosecution with opinions on indictment or non-indictment.
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