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Fired Aide to South Korean Leader Denies Improper Conduct Fired Aide to South Korean Leader Denies Improper Conduct
(about 7 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — A spokesman of President Park Geun-hye of South Korea who was fired while he was visiting the United States with her on her state visit denied on Saturday that he sexually abused a young woman in a Washington hotel.SEOUL, South Korea — A spokesman of President Park Geun-hye of South Korea who was fired while he was visiting the United States with her on her state visit denied on Saturday that he sexually abused a young woman in a Washington hotel.
The sudden firing of the spokesman, Yoon Chang-jung, 56, followed by the widely reported allegations that he sexually groped a woman, has embarrassed President Park, whom the political opposition has often accused of filling key posts in her government with figures with questionable ethical standards. The sudden firing of the spokesman, Yoon Chang-jung, 56, followed by the widely reported accusations that he sexually groped a woman, embarrassed Ms. Park, whom the political opposition has often accused of filling key posts in her government with figures with questionable ethical standards.
South Korean media have cited a Washington police report in which the victim accused Mr. Yoon of grabbing her buttocks without her permission. They said the victim was a young woman hired by the South Korean Embassy in Washington to be Mr. Yoon’s guide.South Korean media have cited a Washington police report in which the victim accused Mr. Yoon of grabbing her buttocks without her permission. They said the victim was a young woman hired by the South Korean Embassy in Washington to be Mr. Yoon’s guide.
During a news conference in a Seoul restaurant, Mr. Yoon said on Saturday that he touched the back of the woman's waist lightly only once as a gesture of encouragement.During a news conference in a Seoul restaurant, Mr. Yoon said on Saturday that he touched the back of the woman's waist lightly only once as a gesture of encouragement.
The incident took place as he, the woman and his driver were leaving a Washington hotel bar after spending 30 minutes there together, Mr. Yoon said. He said he invited her for drinks because he felt he had chastised the young woman too harshly for being a problematic guide. (He said he angrily told her several times: “Who is the guide, you or me?”)The incident took place as he, the woman and his driver were leaving a Washington hotel bar after spending 30 minutes there together, Mr. Yoon said. He said he invited her for drinks because he felt he had chastised the young woman too harshly for being a problematic guide. (He said he angrily told her several times: “Who is the guide, you or me?”)
“Now I am deeply repentant for not properly understanding the American culture, and I offer my sincere word of consolation to the guide,” Mr. Yoon said, facing a bank of television cameras.“Now I am deeply repentant for not properly understanding the American culture, and I offer my sincere word of consolation to the guide,” Mr. Yoon said, facing a bank of television cameras.
He also apologized to the people and Ms. Park for causing "trouble" and a "stain in the successful summit."He also apologized to the people and Ms. Park for causing "trouble" and a "stain in the successful summit."
Upon Ms. Park’s return home on Friday after the five-day state visit, her chief press secretary, Lee Nam-ki, who was Mr. Yoon’s immediate supervisor, issued an apology addressed both to the president and to the people, blaming Mr. Yoon for "an indecent behavior.”Upon Ms. Park’s return home on Friday after the five-day state visit, her chief press secretary, Lee Nam-ki, who was Mr. Yoon’s immediate supervisor, issued an apology addressed both to the president and to the people, blaming Mr. Yoon for "an indecent behavior.”
Mr. Lee said Mr. Yoon’s act “damaged the national prestige” but he did not elaborate.Mr. Lee said Mr. Yoon’s act “damaged the national prestige” but he did not elaborate.
In his remarks yesterday, Mr. Yoon disputed a widely circulated account in domestic media in which he was accused of calling the young woman into his hotel room while wearing only underwear. On Saturday, he said he was in his underwear when he rushed to a knock at the door the morning after the bar incident, expecting an urgent message. When he found the guide at the door, he said he turned her away.In his remarks yesterday, Mr. Yoon disputed a widely circulated account in domestic media in which he was accused of calling the young woman into his hotel room while wearing only underwear. On Saturday, he said he was in his underwear when he rushed to a knock at the door the morning after the bar incident, expecting an urgent message. When he found the guide at the door, he said he turned her away.
When the allegation of sexual abuse first emerged, Mr. Yoon said his supervisor, Mr. Lee, told him to hurry home without even giving him time to pack his belongings, even though he had insisted on clearing his name while still in the United States.When the allegation of sexual abuse first emerged, Mr. Yoon said his supervisor, Mr. Lee, told him to hurry home without even giving him time to pack his belongings, even though he had insisted on clearing his name while still in the United States.
The Seoul government had been billing Ms. Park’s Washington trip as an impeccable success, but the incident involving Mr. Yoon has cast a cloud over it in recent days. During the trip, Ms. Parkheld a summit meeting with President Obama on Tuesday and spoke before Congress the next day. The South Korean government had been billing Ms. Park’s Washington trip as an impeccable success, but the incident involving Mr. Yoon has cast a cloud over it in recent days. During the trip, Ms. Parkheld a summit meeting with President Obama on Tuesday and spoke before Congress the next day.
The political opposition called on Ms. Park to apologize for Mr. Yoon’s behavior, which it said humiliated the nation.The political opposition called on Ms. Park to apologize for Mr. Yoon’s behavior, which it said humiliated the nation.
Mr. Yoon had been Ms. Park's main spokesman since she was the president-elect. Ms. Park won the presidency in December.Mr. Yoon had been Ms. Park's main spokesman since she was the president-elect. Ms. Park won the presidency in December.