"Oh Sehyun, Mayor of Asan, Must Suspend and Dismiss Policy Aide Convicted as Secondary Perpetrator of Sexual Violence"

Korean Women’s Political Network Issues Statement on the 29th
"Without genuine reflection on power-based sexual crimes in the Democratic Party, the organization operates solely on 'political connections' and 'protecting its own'"
"Conduct a full investigation of all secondary perpetrators within the party and permanently expel them from politics"

The Korean Women’s Political Network (Women’s Politics Net) issued a statement on the 29th, urging, “Asan Mayor Oh Sehyun must immediately suspend and dismiss the policy aide whose conviction as a secondary perpetrator in a sexual violence case has been finalized.”

Women’s Politics Net stated, “Kim Ji-eun, the victim in the power-based sexual violence case involving former South Chungcheong Governor Ahn Hee-jung, has once again issued a desperate appeal to the public,” adding, “Although eight years have passed since the incident, Kim Ji-eun is still unable to return to her daily life and continues to struggle against the organized secondary victimization perpetrated by the political establishment.”

The organization continued, “It was recently revealed that Mayor Oh Sehyun of Asan appointed as a policy aide an individual whose criminal and civil convictions as a secondary perpetrator in the Ahn Hee-jung case have been finalized,” and criticized, “Despite having received a severe sentence from the judiciary for spreading false information and defaming Kim Ji-eun in the past, this person has shown no remorse and instead continues to hold key positions within the political ecosystem of the Democratic Party of Korea, flaunting their influence.”

They went on to say, “Whenever a power-based sexual crime occurred in the past, the Democratic Party of Korea bowed its head and pledged to take full responsibility for the victim’s recovery,” and questioned, “Was the Democratic Party’s promise to devote all efforts to the victim’s recovery and the eradication of sexual violence within the party until the victim herself says she has recovered, merely empty words?”

Women’s Politics Net stated, “Democratic Party officials have continuously protected secondary perpetrators by employing them as aides to National Assembly members, policy team leaders at district offices, and local government aides,” and asserted, “The behavior of these unrepentant criminals moving from one Democratic Party post to another and remaining near the center of power is a clear act of political terror against the victim.”

They added, “This is evidence that the Democratic Party is operating its organization solely based on ‘political connections’ and ‘protecting its own,’ without any genuine reflection on power-based sexual crimes,” and demanded, “The party must conduct a full investigation of all secondary perpetrators within its ranks and permanently expel them from politics. The Democratic Party must break with its leniency toward perpetrators and completely overhaul its personnel vetting system to ensure that enablers of sexual crimes can never again find a place in public service.”