Daejeon Metropolitan Council Refers Councilor Song Hwalseop, Convicted of Forcible Molestation, to Ethics Committee

Women's and Civic Groups:
"Immediate Expulsion Needed to Restore Trust"

Daejeon District and High Court.

The Daejeon Metropolitan Council, which has faced criticism for protecting a council member convicted of sexually harassing a female employee in a first trial, has ultimately referred a disciplinary motion to the Special Ethics Committee under pressure from civic groups.

Chairman Cho Wonhoe of the Daejeon Metropolitan Council reported at the plenary session of the extraordinary meeting held on the 11th that Councilor Song Hwalseop (Independent) had been found guilty in the first trial on charges of forcible molestation the previous day. After this report, Chairman Cho exercised his authority to submit a disciplinary motion regarding Councilor Song to the Special Ethics Committee. Before the plenary session, eight local organizations, including the Daejeon Women's Association and the Daejeon Civil Society Solidarity Council, held a press conference at the council and urged Chairman Cho to exercise his authority to submit an expulsion motion for Councilor Song.

These organizations stated, "According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's regulations for local councils and the Daejeon Metropolitan Council's code of ethics ordinance, which requires disciplinary action for sexual violence and sexual harassment, it is the chairman's duty to report the disciplinary motion for Councilor Song, who has been found guilty, and to refer it to the Ethics Committee." They further emphasized, "Immediate expulsion of Councilor Song is necessary to begin efforts to restore public trust."

The current Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Local Council Operation Guidebook stipulates that 'if there is a council member subject to disciplinary action or if the chairman becomes aware of such a case, the chairman must report it to the plenary session and refer the disciplinary case to the Special Ethics Committee within three days, excluding periods of adjournment or recess.'

After the press conference, the organizations delivered to Chairman Cho a petition signed by 600 citizens demanding Councilor Song's expulsion.

Previously, Councilor Song was sentenced on the previous day at the Daejeon District Court to six months in prison, with the sentence suspended for one year, on charges of forcible molestation. Song, who was a member of the People Power Party at the time, was indicted for allegedly touching the body and holding the hand of a female employee working at the campaign office of a party candidate in February and March of last year.

At that time, the council put an expulsion motion for Song to a vote in September last year on the grounds of violating the duty to maintain dignity, but it was voted down. Song subsequently left the People Power Party.