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| Won Jong-gun speaks at a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. He was one of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's "hand-picked" new members for the April 15 general election. Yonhap |
By Jung Min-ho
Introducing a 27-year-old man as the latest member of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) last month, Chairman Lee Hae-chan called him "the future" of the party.
That future now looks bleak. On Monday, a former girlfriend of Won Jong-gun revealed photos of her legs covered in bruises, claiming they were "the evidence of his rape."
She also, in detail, accused him of sexually abusing her and forcing her to carry out a sexual act in front of a camera.
"I'm not afraid of being sued for defamation, because everything I said here is an undeniable fact," she wrote on a popular website. This made headlines within hours.
The next day, Won, who had been widely promoted as the party's new representative for people in their 20s and 30s for the April 15 general election, announced that he will not seek his future in politics anymore. But he denied her claims.
"I apologize that the controversy erupted because of me," he told reporters at the National Assembly. "But her claims are not true … There were mistakes and errors in my earlier years, but I did not live my life indiscreetly. I feel awful after being falsely branded as a shameless person."
Won called the accuser "a woman I used to love." When asked which of her claims are false, he did not answer.
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| Won and party Chairman Lee Hae-chan shake hands at the National Assembly on Dec. 29. Lee called him "the future" of the party. Korea Times file |
Won became famous after appearing on a TV show 14 years ago as a boy full of filial love for his disabled single mother. After graduating university, he landed a job at eBay Korea in 2016 and has worked in its PR department since.
"After being introduced as a new party member, Won said lawmakers should push harder for making more laws for women, calling it the spirit of the times," Rep. Sung Il-jong, a spokesman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, said. "If everything the woman says is true, it is frightening."
Some lawmakers call the ruling party a "#MeToo party" in an apparent attempt to paint it as a party that lacks sexual morality. The party obtained the dishonorable image after some powerful members, including former South Chungcheong Governor An Hee-jung and Rep. Min Byung-doo, were brought down by sexual misconduct claims after the global #MeToo movement ignited in late 2017.
On Wednesday, DPK Chairman Lee apologized, saying the party will set up a better system to verify people.
Police are expected to investigate the case after a civic group filed a complaint against Won.
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