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South Korean Ex-Aide Denies Improper Conduct on Trip South Korean Ex-Aide Denies Improper Conduct on Trip
(34 minutes later)
SEOUL, South Korea — A spokesman for President Park Geun-hye who was fired while on a recent state visit to the United States denied Saturday that he groped a young woman in a Washington hotel. SEOUL, South Korea — A spokesman for President Park Geun-hye who was fired while on a recent state visit to the United States denied Saturday that he had groped a young woman in a Washington hotel.
The sudden firing of the spokesman, Yoon Chang-jung, 56, was followed by the widely reported accusations that he grabbed the buttocks of a woman whom the South Korean government had hired as his guide. The allegation embarrassed Ms. Park, a new president who has been eager to present the visit as a total success and whom the political opposition has accused of filling important government posts with people whose ethical standards have been questioned. The sudden dismissal of the spokesman, Yoon Chang-jung, 56, was followed by the widely reported accusations that he had grabbed the buttocks of a woman whom the South Korean government had hired as his guide. The allegation embarrassed Ms. Park, a new president who has been eager to present the visit as a total success and whom the political opposition has accused of filling important government posts with people whose ethical standards have been questioned.
Although the South Korean government has not specified what act led to Mr. Yoon’s firing, the South Korean news media have cited a Washington police report in which the woman accused Mr. Yoon of grabbing her buttocks without her permission. Although the South Korean government has not specified what act led to Mr. Yoon’s dismissal, the South Korean news media have cited a Washington police report in which the woman accused Mr. Yoon of grabbing her buttocks without her permission.
During a news conference in a Seoul restaurant, Mr. Yoon said 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 Saturday that he had 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 had angrily said 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 had invited her for drinks because he felt he had chastised the young woman too harshly for being a problematic guide. (He said he had angrily said 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 South Korean people and to Ms. Park for causing “trouble” and putting a “stain in the successful summit.”He also apologized to the South Korean people and to Ms. Park for causing “trouble” and putting 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 “damaged the national prestige,” but he did not elaborate.Mr. Lee said Mr. Yoon “damaged the national prestige,” but he did not elaborate.
In his remarks on Saturday, Mr. Yoon disputed a widely circulated accusation in the domestic news media in which he was said to have called the young woman into his hotel room while wearing only underwear. He said Saturday that 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 on Saturday, Mr. Yoon disputed a widely circulated accusation in the domestic news media in which he was said to have called the young woman into his hotel room while wearing only his underwear. He said Saturday that 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 groping allegations first emerged, Mr. Yoon said his supervisor, Mr. Lee, told him to hurry home without giving him time to pack his belongings, even though Mr. Yoon had insisted on clearing his name while still in the United States.When the groping allegations first emerged, Mr. Yoon said his supervisor, Mr. Lee, told him to hurry home without giving him time to pack his belongings, even though Mr. Yoon had insisted on clearing his name while still in the United States.
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 shadow over it. During the trip, Ms. Park met 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 shadow over it. During the trip, Ms. Park met 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. She won the presidency in December.Mr. Yoon had been Ms. Park’s main spokesman since she was the president-elect. She won the presidency in December.