Ryu Seok-chun (68), a former Yonsei University professor who was disciplined for making sexually harassing remarks to a student during a lecture on the Japanese military 'comfort women' issue, lost again in the second trial after filing an appeal lawsuit.
The Seoul High Court Administrative Division 10 (Presiding Judges Seong Su-je, Yang Jin-su, Ha Tae-han) ruled on the 8th that Ryu's lawsuit to cancel the decision of the Teacher Appeal Review Committee was dismissed, just like in the first trial.
On September 19, 2019, during a sociology major class at Yonsei University, Ryu said, "The direct perpetrator (related to comfort women) is not Japan (government)," and "(comfort women) are a type of prostitution." Later, when a student asked, "Does that mean the comfort women victims went voluntarily?" he explained, "Even now, the process of entering prostitution is half voluntary, half forced," and made a remark, "If you're curious, do you want to try it once?" which sparked a controversy over sexual harassment.
Yonsei University regarded Ryu's remarks as verbal sexual harassment and imposed a one-month suspension in July 2020. Ryu requested a review by the Appeal Review Committee, but when it was rejected, he filed an administrative lawsuit.
The first trial judged the remarks as "an intention to have women directly experience how they engage in prostitution," and determined that it constituted sexual harassment that could cause sexual humiliation or disgust, thus ruling the disciplinary action appropriate.
Ryu is also facing a criminal trial for defamation of the honor of comfort women victims due to these remarks, with the first trial sentencing pending at the Seoul Western District Court.
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