By Kim Tae-gyu
The government has asked the authorities in Washington to expedite their investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against dismissed presidential spokesman Yoon Chang-jung.
“We expressed our willingness to cooperate in the ongoing investigation. We also requested a fast-track approach,” Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Choi Young-jin told reporters there.
Choi said that diplomatic and judiciary channels were used to convey the message.
Informed sources said that police in the States will proceed with the investigations under the stewardship of U.S. federal prosecutors.
Experts are skeptical that the government plea will speed up the legal procedure.
Yoon allegedly groped an intern who was hired by the Korean Embassy in the U.S. in a Washington hotel bar on May 7 when President Park Geun-hye was visiting the U.S. for a summit with President Barack Obama.
Yoon left Park’s entourage soon after the case was reported to the Washington police and hurriedly flew back to Korea, raising suspicions that he escaped to evade police questioning.
During a press conference last Saturday, the 56-year-old recanted that he “grabbed her buttocks without permission,” saying that he just tapped the intern’s waist at the bar to wish her success.
However, a fresh allegation surfaced Tuesday that Yoon also engaged in unsavory acts that were much worse at his hotel room early the next morning after the first incident.
Citing an unspecified Cheong Wa Dae source, the Donga Ilbo reported that Yoon called the intern over to his room early in the morning where the naked former spokesman also grabbed her buttocks.
It the report proves to be true, observers say that Yoon’s actions might be categorized as attempted rape, or fourth-degree sexual assault, a felony crime. If this happens, the likelihood of Yoon facing extradition to the U.S. would increase.
Under the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the two countries that became effective in 1999, the U.S. can ask Korea to extradite suspects accused of committing crimes that can incur sentences of more than a year in prison.
Misdemeanors typically do not require this because they involve crimes with punishment of less than 12 months of incarceration, but the maximum sentence for fourth-degree sexual assault is much longer.
In the meantime, the presidential office is reviewing the detailed schedule of its public relations team during President Park’s visit.
It has also decided to include a team of officials specializing in ethics when Park visits other countries in the future so that misconduct of the sort that Yoon is alleged to have done will not take place again.
On Monday, Park offered her apology for the incident and ordered officials to establish discipline among her staff.