'Women’s Union Apologizes After 7 Months for Leaking Information of Park Won-soon Victim'

Former Standing Representative Kim Young-soon Leaked Former Mayor Park's Lawsuit to Lawmaker Nam In-soon Last Year
Women's Union "A Leak Incident That Should Never Have Happened Occurred Within Women's Union... We Bow Our Heads in Apology"

Part of the apology statement from the Korean Women's Associations United regarding the 'Park Won-soon victim information leak.'
Photo by Women's Associations United homepage capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Yeeun] The Korean Women's Associations United (KWAU) issued an apology on the 29th, seven months after leaking information about the victim in the sexual violence case involving the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.

The KWAU Innovation Committee posted an apology titled "Apology to the Victim of the Seoul Mayor's Power Sexual Violence" on their website on the 29th. In the apology, KWAU stated, "An incident of information leakage, which should never have occurred during the anti-violence movement, happened within KWAU. We bow our heads and sincerely apologize for causing great pain to the victim." They added, "Since we cannot fully comprehend the pain, frustration, and despair the victim endured, KWAU will continuously reflect and introspect to ensure the victim's complete recovery."

Previously, it was revealed that Kim Young-soon, former executive director of KWAU, leaked the information to Nam In-soon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, when former Mayor Park was accused of sexual harassment last year. In January, KWAU passed a vote of no confidence against former executive director Kim.

The Innovation Committee also announced an innovation plan including six innovation directions and ten innovation tasks: ▲ Organizing and uniting KWAU ▲ Connecting and spreading KWAU ▲ Sharing and opening KWAU ▲ Resisting and challenging KWAU ▲ Reading and preparing for changes of the times ▲ Creating sustainability within KWAU.

The Innovation Committee explained, "The innovation of KWAU begins with redefining the organizational role and status as a united movement organization. It can be achieved through reviewing the existing movement culture and changing the organizational structure to embody the meaning and role of the united movement."

Accordingly, they proposed establishing an Agenda and Movement Strategy Headquarters and a Women's Political Empowerment Strategy Headquarters, suggested principles for political networking, operating a 'Feminist Political Conference,' setting up a Gender Data Center, and revitalizing activist education and workshops as concrete tasks.

The Innovation Committee emphasized, "The presentation of the innovation plan is not the solution but the beginning," adding, "To implement the innovation plan, KWAU, seven regional women's associations, and 27 member organizations must move forward together."