"Sex Offender Became an Officer"... Sokcho City Official's Expos? Sparks Uproar

"He strangled me just a week into my marriage... I desperately ran to survive"
Post on internal bulletin board after team leader accused of sexual misconduct promoted to official

Recently, claims have surfaced that an individual who attempted to commit a sexual crime in the past was promoted to the position of grade 5 officer in the latest regular personnel reshuffle in Sokcho City, Gangwon Province, causing a major shock in the local community.

Screenshot of the website of the Sokcho City Branch, Gangwon Regional Headquarters of the National Public Officials Union

On December 20, an expos? titled "A Sex Offender Became an Officer" was posted on the free bulletin board of the Sokcho City Hall labor union. The author, identified as A and describing themselves as a current public official as well as the victim of the past incident, revealed in detail a horrific attempted sexual assault by L, who was their team leader 13 years ago.

According to A's account, "One evening in April 2012, around 8 or 9 p.m., Mr. L, who is now a team leader in Sokcho City, called and said, 'I've had a drink and I'm thinking of having a cup of coffee. Could you give me one?'"

A stated, "While we were talking, L suddenly changed and tried to hug and kiss me. At the time, I had been married for less than a week, and I was so suffocated by the pressure that I feared I might die." A recalled, "After a desperate struggle, I barely managed to escape the building and narrowly avoided the crisis."

Regarding the reason for remaining silent until now, A confessed, "I was too young at the time, and I was afraid of secondary victimization and judgmental stares, such as people wondering what I had done to provoke it. I had no connections and nowhere to seek help."

The decisive reason A chose to speak out again was the attitude of L, the alleged perpetrator, and the recent news of his promotion. A reported feeling extreme distress when L greeted them at a recent table tennis tournament as if nothing had happened. When L was subsequently included among the candidates for promotion to 'officer,' often called the pinnacle of public office, A felt unable to endure it any longer.

A expressed outrage at the city's personnel decision, saying, "Is anyone allowed to become an officer in Sokcho City? I am appalled that a sex offender has become an officer."

Meanwhile, the post is rapidly spreading within the public sector, causing widespread anger. Citizens are raising their voices, saying, "The city must respond to the victim's courageous confession," and "If these claims are proven true, not only should the promotion be canceled, but there must also be strict punishment."