"Nonghyup Cooperative Head Sexual Harassment Controversy Over Pretending to Swipe Card on Female Employee's Body"

Chungbuk Jecheon 10th Bongyang Nonghyup Union Chief Faces Sexual Harassment Controversy
Claims of Abuse of Power and Personal Use of Staff... Union Demands "Union Chief Resignation"

Hong Seong-ju, the head of Bongyang Nonghyup in Jecheon-si, Chungbuk, who is embroiled in controversies over discrimination against non-regular workers and misuse of employees for personal purposes, is being accused of sexually harassing a woman at an event in 2019.

Chungbuk In News reported on the 14th, citing a video from the YouTube channel Jeong Media, that allegations have recently surfaced claiming that Hong sexually harassed a woman performing at the '1st Bongyang Bakdal Bean Festival' in 2019.

In the video, Hong, who visited the festival, is seen dancing with performers and handing out money from his wallet as encouragement funds. When the cash in his wallet runs low, he takes out a card and repeatedly pretends to swipe it over the cleavage and buttocks of a woman performing on stage. The woman in the video did not protest or show discomfort at the time. It is reported that she did not take any separate action or raise any issues regarding this incident.

However, as these actions have been pointed out as sexual harassment, the video views exceeded 15,000 on the 15th. The YouTube video by Chungbuk In News reporting this issue also surpassed 80,000 views.

The Bongyang Nonghyup labor union called it clear sexual harassment and misconduct. The union told the media, "This is absolutely unacceptable behavior for a Nonghyup head," adding, "He doesn’t even seem to realize how shameful it is in such a public place, and we don’t understand what he was thinking." Hong has not made any statement regarding the sexual harassment allegations.

Hong was elected as the youngest head of a Nonghyup nationwide at the age of 35 in 1988 and held the position for 36 years, setting a record of ten consecutive terms, but he has recently been caught up in controversies over abuse of power.

The union claims that Hong ordered the spreading of fertilizer on his own farmland, mobilized employees for events organized by the chairman’s wife, and made them run errands such as driving and delivering goods, among other abuses of power.

The union is strongly demanding Hong’s resignation. On the afternoon of the 13th, the Chungbuk branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a rally in front of Bongyang Nonghyup in Bongyang-eup, Jecheon-si, with about 120 union members participating, condemning Hong’s abuse of power and demanding his resignation.

This rally condemning Hong is the second one following the event on the 22nd of last month. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions criticized, "During his 36 years in office, Hong has repeatedly abused workers with verbal abuse and power harassment, unfairly dismissed non-regular workers, and encouraged the formation of multiple unions to destroy the democratic union."

The union also claims that Hong is behind the formation of a union affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions at Bongyang Nonghyup and continues rallies and strikes.