South Korean politician steps down after rape accusations
A rising star in South Korean politics and one-time presidential hopeful has resigned after his secretary publicly accused him of repeatedly raping her.
Ahn Hee-jung’s departure as governor of South Chungcheong province on Tuesday came against the backdrop of a growing #MeToo movement in the male-dominated country, where sexual misconduct is rarely discussed.
In an emotional interview on South Korean television, Kim Ji-eun said she was raped by Ahn on four occasions starting in June last year, including on business trips to Switzerland and Russia. The most recent assault was on 25 February, she said.
“Recently, Ahn met me late at night to talk about the #MeToo movement. He seemed anxious and said by observing the growth of the #MeToo movement, he realised that he had hurt me,” Kim said. “He apologised so I thought it wouldn’t happen again, but he did it again that night.”
Ahn, who was widely expected to run to replace president Moon Jae-in when his term ends in 2022, is the highest profile figure so far to have been accused in a wave of allegations against public officials and artists.
In the rigid hierarchy of Ahn’s office, common among South Korean work environments, Kim felt she could not reject his advances and said there were other victims who had yet to speak out. Fighting back tears, Kim said in the interview she remained terrified of Ahn and went public to ensure her safety. “I hope my fellow citizens can protect me,” she said.
Ahn Hee-jung’s departure as governor of South Chungcheong province on Tuesday came against the backdrop of a growing #MeToo movement in the male-dominated country, where sexual misconduct is rarely discussed.
In an emotional interview on South Korean television, Kim Ji-eun said she was raped by Ahn on four occasions starting in June last year, including on business trips to Switzerland and Russia. The most recent assault was on 25 February, she said.
“Recently, Ahn met me late at night to talk about the #MeToo movement. He seemed anxious and said by observing the growth of the #MeToo movement, he realised that he had hurt me,” Kim said. “He apologised so I thought it wouldn’t happen again, but he did it again that night.”
Ahn, who was widely expected to run to replace president Moon Jae-in when his term ends in 2022, is the highest profile figure so far to have been accused in a wave of allegations against public officials and artists.
In the rigid hierarchy of Ahn’s office, common among South Korean work environments, Kim felt she could not reject his advances and said there were other victims who had yet to speak out. Fighting back tears, Kim said in the interview she remained terrified of Ahn and went public to ensure her safety. “I hope my fellow citizens can protect me,” she said.
Source:
theguardian
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