Official Accused of Sexual Misconduct Claims "No Sexual Harassment or Assault Occurred"

Former Senior Spokesperson Kim Bo-hyeop Issues First Statement... "Expelled Without Verification of External Agency's Findings"

Kim Bo-hyeop, former senior spokesperson for the Cho Kuk Innovation Party [Yonhap News Photo]

 Kim Bo-hyeop, former senior spokesperson for the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, who was identified as one of the individuals accused of sexual misconduct within the party, publicly denied the allegations on the 14th, stating, "There was no sexual assault or harassment as claimed by the complainant."

In a Facebook post on the same day, Kim argued, "The complainant raised allegations of sexual assault, and the party expelled me by uncritically accepting the external agency's investigation results without verifying whether it was conducted objectively and fairly."

He added, "I believe that external agency report is a 'See-Believe Report' that accepted only the so-called victim's statements as specific and consistent, seeing only what it wanted to see and believing only what it wanted to believe."

The complainant mentioned by Kim is believed to be Kang Mi-jeong, former spokesperson, who left the party claiming the party showed an indifferent attitude towards the case.

He rebutted the instances of sexual assault claimed by former spokesperson Kang one by one.

Kang's side claims that Kim committed assault at a gathering with other party officials at a karaoke bar late last year.

They also claim that sexual assault occurred in a taxi in July last year, and that sexually harassing remarks were made during the party's street demonstration urging the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.

In response, Kim stated, "There was no sexual assault in the karaoke bar as claimed by the complainant," and wrote, "Besides the complainant, only one other party official gave a statement supporting her claims. The rest stated that such an incident did not happen or they don't recall it."

He also asserted, "The complainant claims I sexually assaulted her in a taxi one night last July. This is also a false claim," and added, "During the police investigation, I provided all information about the Kakao Taxi used at the time and the driver's details and requested an investigation."

Regarding the sexual misconduct allegations during the street demonstration, he said, "I cannot see Kang's kneeling back, and I cannot fathom how I could have made sexual remarks while struggling to walk from Gwanghwamun to the Constitutional Court with three steps and a bow."

This is the first time Kim has officially commented since the sexual misconduct allegations were raised.

He stated, "My writings are also just one side of the story. Similarly, they must be confirmed as facts through evidence and testimony."