Reports of sexual misconduct against female service members surge over 6 times over 4 years: lawmaker

The Supreme Court is seen in this undated photo. Korea Times file The number of reports of sexual misconduct against female service members has surged in recent years, increasing by more than sixfold from 2020 to 2023, a lawmaker said Wednesday, citing data from the defense ministry. The number of such reports stood at 135 in 2020 before reaching 366 in 2021, 673 in 2022, 867 in 2023 and 604 as of September this year, according to the data submitted to Rep.

Hwang Hee of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Of the total 2,645 cases over the period, 1,730 were reports of sexual harassment, while 915 were those on other sexual violence, such as rape and sexual assault. The ministry said female troops have become more active in reporting sexual misconduct after the 2021 death of an Air Force service member who took her own life after filing a complaint of being molested by a male superior.



Investigations into MSgt. Lee Ye-ram's death showed that she suffered additional sexual assault, while her colleagues attempted to cover up the case, sparking intense public anger. The ministry said it increased the number of sexual violence counselors in the military to 150 in 2023 from 50 in 2021 and created a dedicated organization against sexual violence in 2022.

(Yonhap).