Diplomat Accused of Sexual Harassment of Same-Sex Colleague at Embassy in Wellington... Prosecuted After 6 Years

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official has been prosecuted domestically on charges of sexually harassing a local same-sex employee while working as a diplomat at the Korean Embassy in New Zealand six years ago.

The Criminal Division 2 of the Bucheon Branch of Incheon District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Seonnyeo) announced on the 31st that they have indicted Ministry of Foreign Affairs official A (58, male) without detention on charges of forced sexual assault causing injury. A is accused of touching the body of local male employee B three times at the Korean Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand, between November and December 2017, constituting forced sexual assault.

At the time of the crime, A was working as a diplomat at the Korean Embassy in New Zealand and is currently confirmed to be a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official residing in Korea.

B filed a complaint against A with the New Zealand police in July 2019, and the local court issued an arrest warrant in February of the following year. However, since A had already left New Zealand, the investigation did not proceed locally.

A received a disciplinary penalty of a one-month pay reduction in 2019, and after B, who returned to Korea at the end of last year, filed a complaint again with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, an investigation began domestically. The police transferred A to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on charges of forced sexual assault in June, but considering his residence, the case was transferred to the Bucheon Branch.

During the supplementary investigation, the prosecution additionally confirmed that B had been undergoing long-term treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and changed the charge against A to forced sexual assault causing injury before indicting him.

A prosecution official stated, "We have carefully reviewed the legal grounds and indicted on charges of forced sexual assault causing injury," adding, "We will thoroughly prepare for the trial to ensure that A receives punishment commensurate with his crime."