S. Korea air chief quits as abused woman ends life

Seoul, June 4: South Korea’s air force chief resigned on Friday, apologising and taking responsibility for the death of a member of the force who took her own life, according to her family, after being sexually harassed by a colleague.

Lee Seong-yong offered to step down a day after an air force master sergeant was arrested on charges of molesting and injuring a female colleague of the same rank in March.

The family of the victim said she had suffered mental distress and persistent bullying, and accused the air force of trying to cover up the assault and silence her over the past two months.

President Moon Jae-in immediately accepted Lee’s resignation, his press secretary said, making him the shortest serving South Korean air force chief after appointing him in September.

“I would like to extend my apology to the citizens and deep condolences to the deceased person and her family. I feel heavy responsibility and offer my resignation,” Lee said in a statement.

The case sparked a public outcry after the woman’s family filed a petition with Moon’s office on Tuesday calling for a thorough investigation and punishment for those involved. More than 326,000 people have signed it so far.

Moon ordered an investigation on Thursday including on how the air force handled the case, as the family reported three officials at Lee’s base to military prosecutors, accusing two of them of dereliction of duty and attempted compulsion and the other of sexual harassment.