Two more university professors accused of sexual harassment

After the controversial revelation that a high profile Seoul National University professor is being investigated by the police for allegedly molesting one of his former interns this year, two more university professors have come under fire for similar allegations.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, a Korea University professor in its engineering department is currently being investigated for repeatedly sexually assaulting one of his graduate students over a span of about three months starting June. The alleged victim filed her official complaint on Nov. 6.

According to Seo Min-kyung, a spokeswoman of Korea University, the alleged professor submitted his resignation letter on Nov. 7, a day after his student filed the complaint, and hasn’t been giving lectures since.

“The gender-equality center in our school is also investigating this case,” she told The Korea Herald. “There will be a personnel committee meeting on this issue as well, to decide what disciplinary action should be taken against the professor.”

The professor is accused of forcefully kissing the student on several occasions, as well as touching her thighs and asking her to send him inappropriate photographs. The alleged victim is reportedly suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts.

Meanwhile, a physician who once served as a professor at SNU’s school of medicine is also being investigated for sexually assaulting one of his contract workers last year, when he was working as the head of the country’s National Medical Center in Seoul.

The medical professional is accused of forcefully kissing the alleged victim, who was working as his secretary, and sending her inappropriate text messages such as “You are mine,” and “Let’s go on a trip together.”

Back in September, he abruptly resigned from his post at the National Medical Center, although he still had three months left in his term. He also left his job at SNU and reportedly opened his own clinic in Seoul.

Earlier this month, it was revealed by the police that a high-profile mathematician and professor at SNU was being investigated for sexually molesting his former intern, who was helping him plan this year’s International Congress of Mathematics in Seoul in August.

“Our human rights division is looking into the allegations against the (mathematics) professor,” said Jeong Min-ho, a spokesman at SNU. “That is all we can say for right now.”

There have been frequent cases of sexual harassment by high-profile figures in recent years. In one such case, then presidential spokesman Yoon Chang-jung sexually assaulted a Korean-American hired to help the Seoul delegation in Washington while accompanying President Park Geun-hye on her U.S. visit last year.

Earlier this year, a female caddie filed a complaint against a former National Assembly Speaker for sexually assaulting her during a round of golf in September.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)