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| Mayor of South Korean City Resigns in #MeToo Case | Mayor of South Korean City Resigns in #MeToo Case |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| SEOUL, South Korea — The mayor of South Korea’s second-largest city resigned on Thursday after admitting to sexual misconduct, the latest prominent South Korean to fall as the #MeToo movement has rippled through this male-dominated society. | |
| Oh Keo-don, the mayor of Busan Metropolitan City on the southeastern tip of South Korea, has been under pressure to resign since a female public servant accused him of sexually assaulting her in his office. | Oh Keo-don, the mayor of Busan Metropolitan City on the southeastern tip of South Korea, has been under pressure to resign since a female public servant accused him of sexually assaulting her in his office. |
| “I made an unnecessary physical contact with the person during a short, five-minute meeting,” Mr. Oh said during a news conference on Thursday, as he bowed deeply before cameras and fought back tears. | “I made an unnecessary physical contact with the person during a short, five-minute meeting,” Mr. Oh said during a news conference on Thursday, as he bowed deeply before cameras and fought back tears. |
| “I have realized that this could amount to a sexual assault,” he added. “Regardless of the severity of my act, I admit that it cannot be forgiven.” | “I have realized that this could amount to a sexual assault,” he added. “Regardless of the severity of my act, I admit that it cannot be forgiven.” |
| “I apologize to the victim and will live the rest of my life in repentance,” he added. | “I apologize to the victim and will live the rest of my life in repentance,” he added. |
| An election will be held next April to choose Mr. Oh’s replacement. | An election will be held next April to choose Mr. Oh’s replacement. |
| Women’s rights groups have been demanding Mr. Oh’s resignation after the unidentified female victim reported her case to them. | Women’s rights groups have been demanding Mr. Oh’s resignation after the unidentified female victim reported her case to them. |
| Busan, with a population of 3.5 million, is the second-largest city in South Korea — only Seoul is bigger — and is politically conservative. Mr. Oh, 71, became the first left-leaning candidate to win the Busan mayor’s job when he and other candidates of President Moon Jae-in’s Democratic Party swept elections for big-city mayors and provincial governors in 2018. | Busan, with a population of 3.5 million, is the second-largest city in South Korea — only Seoul is bigger — and is politically conservative. Mr. Oh, 71, became the first left-leaning candidate to win the Busan mayor’s job when he and other candidates of President Moon Jae-in’s Democratic Party swept elections for big-city mayors and provincial governors in 2018. |
| The #MeToo movement took hold in South Korea in January 2018, when Seo Ji-hyeon, a female prosecutor, appeared on TV to say she had been groped at a funeral in 2010 by a male superior, who banished her to an obscure job after she filed a complaint. | The #MeToo movement took hold in South Korea in January 2018, when Seo Ji-hyeon, a female prosecutor, appeared on TV to say she had been groped at a funeral in 2010 by a male superior, who banished her to an obscure job after she filed a complaint. |
| The higher-ranking prosecutor, Ahn Tae-geun, was sentenced to two years in prison in January last year for abuse of power. (He could not be charged with sexual assault because the three-year statute of limitations had expired.) But in January, the Supreme Court ordered a lower court to reconsider Mr. Ahn’s conviction. | The higher-ranking prosecutor, Ahn Tae-geun, was sentenced to two years in prison in January last year for abuse of power. (He could not be charged with sexual assault because the three-year statute of limitations had expired.) But in January, the Supreme Court ordered a lower court to reconsider Mr. Ahn’s conviction. |
| Then, the following March, a former secretary of Ahn Hee-jung, a rising star in the Democratic Party and a presidential hopeful, went on television to accuse the politician of repeatedly raping her while he was governor of South Chungcheong Province. | Then, the following March, a former secretary of Ahn Hee-jung, a rising star in the Democratic Party and a presidential hopeful, went on television to accuse the politician of repeatedly raping her while he was governor of South Chungcheong Province. |
| Mr. Ahn resigned and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for raping his former secretary. | Mr. Ahn resigned and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for raping his former secretary. |
| The decision of the two women to go public with their accusations was, at the time, extraordinary for South Korea, where men dominate the upper echelons of a strictly hierarchical society and victims of sexual violence often stay silent for fear of shame and retaliation. | The decision of the two women to go public with their accusations was, at the time, extraordinary for South Korea, where men dominate the upper echelons of a strictly hierarchical society and victims of sexual violence often stay silent for fear of shame and retaliation. |
| Women have since come forward with accusations of sexual abuse against an array of prominent men, including theater directors, politicians, professors, religious leaders and a former coach for the national speedskating team. Many of the accused have since apologized and resigned from their positions, and several have faced criminal charges. | Women have since come forward with accusations of sexual abuse against an array of prominent men, including theater directors, politicians, professors, religious leaders and a former coach for the national speedskating team. Many of the accused have since apologized and resigned from their positions, and several have faced criminal charges. |