hankyoreh

Demonstrators outside of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in the Seocho District of Seoul hold signs showing their support for the #MeToo movement during a press conference on Feb. 1. (by Baek So-ah

South Korea’s #MeToo movement to eradicate sexual harassment among the public prosecutors is spreading through the society’s top echelons. Amid cascading allegations about sexual misconduct by senior prosecutors, chaebol chairmen, law firm presidents, and bureau chiefs at broadcasting companies, this movement is shining an unflattering light on the elite and privileged members of society.

Just as powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was toppled by revelations made by famous actresses, South Koreans are waiting to see whether the Weinsteins in their society will be getting their just desserts as well. While the #MeToo movement began with testimony by a member of the elite, it remains to be seen whether it will lead to changes in attitudes toward gender throughout the society as a whole.

On Feb. 2, the allegations moved beyond the legal realm into the world of business. Employees at the Kumho Asiana Group claim that Chairman Park Sam-koo, 73, habitually initiated inappropriate physical contact with female flight attendants at Asiana Airlines, pulling them toward him or touching their hands. Employees said that when Park visited the headquarters of Asiana Airlines in Seoul’s District on the morning of the first Thursday of each month, flight attendants had to assemble in the company’s lobby to greet Park by clapping or hugging him.

Employees even testified that company executives ordered them to “run up and embrace Park when you see him” and said that Park “is here for an energy boost.” The #MeToo movement is also spreading on Blind, an anonymous message board for employees, where people are sharing their own experiences with Park. This is the first time in South Korea that the inappropriate behavior of a chaebol owner has been the target of the #MeToo movement.

Lee Jae-jeong, a lawmaker with the Democratic Party, joined the ranks of the #MeToo movement by publicly stating that she had been sexually harassed by the president of a law firm who had previously been a top prosecutor. Lee said that the harassment occurred 13 years ago, while she was looking for a job in law.

“[The offender] was the president of the law firm I wanted to work for. Even after [the sexual harassment], he kept calling me,” Lee said while appearing on the Kim Hyeon-jeong News Show on CBS radio on Feb. 2. “For a long time, I was overwhelmed by guilt and regret for not having said no more firmly [when I was harassed]. The anguished testimony given by Seo Ji-hyeon gave me courage.”

Allegations that a producer at the South Jeolla Province CBS broadcaster was terminated unfairly on two separate occasions after reporting sexual harassment by the news bureau chief is receiving fresh attention online. Now that the dam has burst, experts argue that the #MeToo movement needs to be not simply a short-term shock to the elite and privileged members of society, but also a catalyst for change across the entire society.

“The organizations where incidents of sexual violence are uncovered [by the #MeToo movement] must send the message that they’re going to take stern action about this,” said Kim-Min Mun-jeong, president of Womenlink, during a phone call with the Hankyoreh.

“Since the #MeToo allegations are also being made about the elites, one result is that people may start thinking that anyone who commits a sex crime may be endangering their position,” said Lee Seon-gyeong, a lawyer on the women’s committee for MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society.

The #MeToo movement got a major boost from the participation of famous Hollywood actresses last year, but it dates back to a proposal made in 2007 by African-American feminist Tarana Burke. Some offer a reminder that ordinary South Koreans have been part of #MeToo for a long time, too.

“#MeToo has already taken root throughout South Korean society. We must not forget that as more people begin to blame the offenders for incidents of sexual violence, #MeToo could spread to the upper class as well,” said Koh Mi-gyeong, co-president of Korea Women’s Hotline.

By Heo Jae-hyun, Song Ho-jin, and Choi Ha-yan, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]