The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday decided to dismiss a diplomat who is accused of harassing at least two teenage girls while working in Chile, officials said.
Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam convened a disciplinary committee after the counselor-level diplomat, surnamed Park, was caught by a Chilean television show early this month trying to hug and kiss a girl and trying to take another into his room.
After calling him home and carrying out a probe last week, the ministry confirmed some of the allegations, to which he also partially admitted. It has also said it will pursue legal action against him.
The two girls are believed to be around 13 years old and students of a Korean language course of the diplomat, who was a cultural diplomacy officer. The girls’ parents have also filed a complaint against him there.
The incident shook not only the Korean community in Chile but the diplomatic circle here, as the government has been tightening discipline across public offices, especially since the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President Park Geun-hye earlier this month.
Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Seoul’s Ambassador to Chile Yu Ji-eun offered an apology.
By Shin Hyon-hee (
heeshin@heraldcorp.com)
