"Cases Should Not End with Death"…Jang Je-won's Sexual Violence Victim's Appeal

Victim: "I Do Not Want the Case to Be Closed Like This"
Women's Groups Urge Announcement of Jang Je-won's Investigation Results

Former People Power Party lawmaker Jang Je-won, who was under investigation for sexual assault allegations, passed away, and the police plan to close the case with a "no prosecution" decision. Meanwhile, women's organizations are urging the authorities to announce the investigation results. They pointed out that the truth of the case should not be buried due to the suspect's death.

The Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center and Korea Women's Hotline held a press conference on the 9th urging the announcement of the investigation results regarding the sexual violence case involving the late former National Assembly member Jang Je-won. Photo by Yonhap News

According to Yonhap News and others, on the morning of the 9th, the Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center and Korea Women's Hotline, organizations supporting sexual violence victims, held a press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and read a statement from victim A regarding the sexual assault case involving former lawmaker Jang. A said, "I absolutely do not want the case to be closed as it is," and appealed, "It is heartbreaking to have no choice but to watch everything start and end entirely at the hands of the perpetrator from the time the incident occurred until it concludes."

She continued, "I have not received any apology from the perpetrator," adding, "The perpetrator's chosen escape through death was a self-chosen end to life out of fear of punishment; it is neither having been punished nor having received a pardon." She further stated, "Based on the investigation conducted so far, the results of the sexual assault charges must be announced so that such a method of evading responsibility and disappearing will never happen again." A did not attend the press conference, and Choi Ran, deputy director of the Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center, read the statement on her behalf.

Kim Jae-ryeon, a lawyer from Onsesang Law Firm representing A, claimed, "Only the investigation to determine whether the male DNA collected from A’s underwear through the Seoul Sunflower Center immediately after the incident matches former lawmaker Jang remains," asserting that the police investigation has made significant progress. She also revealed that there are remaining items such as the National Forensic Service’s analysis results of the evidence submitted by A, expert opinions on the credibility of the victim’s testimony, and videos recorded by the victim. Lawyer Kim said, "I hope this becomes a new precedent that the perpetrator’s death may be an obstacle to prosecution but should not be an obstacle to determining the facts of the crime."

After the press conference, members of the women's organizations submitted 11,626 signatures collected from individuals and groups over 36 hours since the 7th to the police. They stated, "We requested a meeting with Park Hyun-soo, acting chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, but received no response."

Former lawmaker Jang was accused of sexual assault (quasi-rape causing injury) against A, who was his secretary in 2015 when he was vice president of a university in Busan, and was under police investigation. He strongly denied the allegations but was found dead on the 31st of last month. This was shortly after the victim’s side publicly released additional evidence such as photos and videos taken at a hotel at the time of the incident. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced at a regular press briefing on the 7th that they plan to decide on "no prosecution" due to the suspect’s death.