Accusations of rape: a political influence in south korea resigns

AFP

AFP

Tuesday, 6 march, 2018 04:00

UPDATE
Tuesday, 6 march, 2018 04:00

Look at this article

SEOUL, South Korea | An influential politician in South Korea resigned Tuesday from his post as governor and announced his withdrawal from political life after being accused by a co-worker of multiple rapes, a spectacular fall from grace in the flood #MeToo.

Ahn Hee-jung was came second last year in the race for the nomination of the democratic Party for the presidential election, behind the winner Moon Jae-in, and was regarded by some as his possible successor.

It is the personality the most important for South Korea to be washed away by the movement against the sexual abuse that runs through South Korea as the rest of the world.

Kim Ji-eun, became a collaborator with Mr. Ahn to the civil affairs after having been his personal assistant, was accused of having raped four times since his hiring in June.

The worst, she told the tv JTBC, this is when he had convened in his office on the 25th of February to apologize to him badly. He was then referred to the movement #MeToo.

“And then he raped me again”, she said holding back his tears. She was also accused of having sexually assaulted other women.

“He always told me not to express my opinions, and to live in his shadow. I couldn’t tell him no because I knew how much he was powerful”.

In head

After this interview, the democratic Party has expelled Mr Ahn, with immediate effect. A few hours later, he announced that he would resign from his post of governor of the province of Chungcheong South, and that he will retire from public life.

“I present my apologies to everyone, and specially to Miss Kim Ji-eun”, he said on Facebook. “I asked him to forgive me for my actions stupid, it was all my fault.”

It is all downhill spectacular to Mr. Ahn. He had, until then, a huge popularity with the youth on the left with its image of honesty and a physical endorsement that has earned him the nickname of “EXO-of-Chungcheong South”, in reference to a boy band of K-pop.

Mr. Ahn, who is a “young” on the political stage in the ageing of South Korea, has also been compared to former us president Barack Obama.

A governorate is considered a good springboard for a presidential candidacy in South Korea, while the conservatives have still not recovered from the vast corruption scandal that has defeated the former president, Park Geun-hye.

Just before the accusations of Ms. Kim, Mr. Ahn was mounted in the niche to publicly defend the campaign #MeToo.

Fear

This case has sparked fury on social networks. “Shock, anger. No words can describe what we all feel today,” said one internet user.

According to media reports, a former supporter of Mr. Ahn was arrested for throwing a baseball bat against his home Monday night and broke a window.

Last month, chairman Moon gave his support to the campaign for anti-harassment, calling for measures to combat the abuse and punish the perpetrators.

Many in South Korea have made headlines in recent time, accusing of personalities of sexual assault. But many victims are afraid to testify because of the risk of stigma and harassment online.

Ms. Kim explained that she had chosen to speak because she feared for her personal safety. “I’m afraid of all the changes that could happen in my life after these revelations but I’m more afraid of the governor Ahn Hee-jung”.

The police of south korea announced that it had contacted the lawyers of Mrs. Ahn and the opening of a preliminary investigation. She also said that she would ensure his personal safety.