Seoul: The former Mayor of the second largest South Korean city was imprisoned for three years on Tuesday to harass two female staff who harassed sexually, the latest punishment of the public who was still patriarchy.
Oh Keo-Don resigned as Mayor of Port Southern Busan – a city of 3.5 million which hosted the biggest film festival in Asia – last year after the allegations he acted inappropriate against subordinates.
Three months later, Seoul Mayor Park won by suicide after a female staff accused him of sexual harassment.
The two men came from President Moon Jae-in the Democratic Party, who suffered destroying the defeat by the general election for their posts in April, giving momentum conservative conservative opposition ahead of the presidential poll next year.
Oh, 72, insisted that any contact was unintentional but before entering the court told reporters: “All errors lies in me.” Busan District Court Judge Ryu Seung-woo said the defendant had abused “his superior position” to conduct sexual abuse at work.
“People who should not suffer are still suffering,” he added according to the Yonhap news agency.
“I urge you to empathize more” with the victims.
South Korean society remains socially conservative despite rapid rising into industrial households, and victims of sexual harassment often face pressure to remain silent for fear of public sin.
But signs of change arose after the #Metoo State movement itself, triggered in 2018 by prosecutor Seo Ji-hyun, who accused openly as superior fumbling in the funeral, encouraging many others to share their stories.
Assistant Governor of the Province of Ahn Hee-Jung – Also from the Democratic Party and former Presidential Competitors – accused him of repeatedly rapidly.
He resigned and was then convicted of sexual relations by abuse of authority, and served three and a half years in prison.