After Apology and Suspension for Assault, Fallout Continues
"I Will Take Full Responsibility Until the End"
An Joochan, a member of the Gumi City Council in Gyeongbuk (representing Indong and Jinmi), issued an urgent public apology on June 30 regarding a recent incident in which a civil servant was assaulted during a local event. He stated, "I will take full responsibility and do everything I can to help the victim return to work."
In a statement released that day, An said, "On June 23, at a local event in my constituency, I lost control of my emotions and committed an act of violence against a civil servant who was assisting me. As a council member and as a human being, this was an inexcusable act, and I bow my head in apology."
He continued, "At the time, I even considered resigning from my council seat and leaving the party, but I questioned whether my stepping down would truly help the victim recover fully. I decided that remaining in my position and assisting with the victim's recovery and return to work was the responsible course of action."
Immediately after the incident, the Gumi City Council convened a special ethics committee and decided to suspend An from attending council sessions for 30 days. However, controversy continues.
This is because some citizens and supporters' posts on social media, their conduct in the council gallery, and the reporting methods of certain local media outlets are escalating into 'secondary harm,' causing further psychological distress to the victim.
Regarding this, An stated, "Acts such as coming to the gallery to show support for me, or posting encouraging messages on social media, only inflict more pain on the victim. Some local journalists directly approached the victim to protest, or wrote columns that made it appear as if I had instructed them to do so. These are further distortions."
He added, "I am fully responsible for all these subsequent developments," and appealed for all related actions to cease.
An also requested the withdrawal of any civil or criminal actions against the victimized civil servant. He said, "If you truly care about me, please set aside your support for me and instead criticize me from the victim's perspective. That is the real first step toward correcting my wrongdoing."
In conclusion, he said, "Through this irreversible act of violence, I have caused the victim an indelible wound, but I will devote myself to supporting their return to public service and psychological recovery in the time that remains. Once again, I deeply apologize to all citizens," he said, bowing his head again.
This incident has prompted growing calls within the Gumi City Council for strengthening the code of ethics for local council members and for institutional reforms. A council official stated, "We will take this incident as a lesson and plan to revise our ethical standards and strengthen council member training to prevent similar incidents from recurring."
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