This article records how Ahn Hee-jung, Governor of South Chungcheong Province and once a leading prospective presidential candidate in South Korea, fell from power following accusations of sexual harassment by female secretaries and the subsequent confirmation of his prison sentence. It presents a severe critique of a political system in which, without those accusations, a “president wearing a mask” might have emerged.

September 7, 2020
The following is a continuation of the preceding chapter.
Licking Moon Jae-in’s Cheek
Among the cases of sexual harassment involving local government heads affiliated with President Moon Jae-in’s ruling party, Ahn Hee-jung, Governor of South Chungcheong Province, also delivered a tremendous shock to South Korea.
In the presidential nomination contest of the Democratic Party of Korea (hereinafter referred to as the Democratic Party), he fought Moon to the very end and was defeated.
However, when Moon secured victory in the presidential election itself, Ahn approached Moon as he stood on the stage at the celebration venue, embraced him, and licked Moon’s cheek.
It was disgusting and revolting. I wondered whether this man was homosexual.
South Korea’s reaction, however, was along the lines of, “He offered his senior rival a refreshing and sincere congratulation.”
I see. “The culture is different.”
Whether or not he had homosexual inclinations is uncertain, but his downfall came when a female secretary accused him of sexual harassment amid the growing MeToo movement.
He attempted to portray the woman who had accused him as an “evil woman.”
This is a standard tactic employed by those who hold power, but when another woman also came forward with an accusation of sexual harassment, the outcome was decided.
In September 2019, the Supreme Court confirmed his prison sentence (at that stage, it might be said that the Supreme Court had not yet been swallowed up by the “new ruling power group”).
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun, reporting on the confirmation of his prison sentence on September 9, 2019, wrote:
“He was more than ten years younger than Moon, had refined features and many female admirers, and was regarded as one of the leading candidates to succeed Moon.”
Two politicians who had been regarded as prospective future presidents both disappeared from politics because of sexual harassment against female secretaries working under them.
Without those accusations, one of these two men might have become a “president wearing a mask.”
South Korea truly is a frightening country.
To be continued.