Mongolian judge back in Seoul for questioning
Police questioned the Mongolian Constitutional Court chairman for a second time Wednesday over allegations that he sexually harassed a flight attendant on a Korean Air flight.
Dorj Odbayar arrived at Incheon International Airport at 8:29 a.m. from Bali, Indonesia, and was taken to the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency for questioning.
“Investigators began their interrogation of Odbayar at 10:35 a.m. We are investigating all allegations regarding the complaint,” an officer said.
However, he failed to provide further details.
Odbayar faces allegations that he groped a flight attendant’s buttocks on the Korean Air night flight from Ulaanbaatar to Incheon, Oct. 31. In addition, one of his colleagues has also been accused of sexually harassing another cabin crewmember. Upon arrival at Incheon, flight crew prevented the pair from deplaning after reporting the two men to airport police who briefly detained them. However, the Mongolian Embassy in Korea said Odbayar and the accompanying official had diplomatic immunity in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Officers at the airport failed to consult the foreign ministry or the National Police Agency about their qualification for diplomatic immunity and released the men. Odbayar’s colleague left for Singapore the same day.
Belatedly discovering their mistake, police were able to question the senior judge for one-and-a-half hours, Nov. 1, before he flew to Bali to attend a meeting of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions.
At the time of his release, Odbayar promised to return for questioning after the international conference, as his flight back to Mongolia involved a transfer at Incheon.
There was speculation that he would attempt to return to Mongolia through another country or rearrange his flight schedule. In the event of this, police said they had planned to refer his case to the prosecution without his physical presence, or to ask for a suspension of an “open investigation.”
According to the officer, Odabayar also reportedly threatened a Mongolian attendant on the flight, who was helping to interpret for him, saying he would retaliate against her when he returned home.
Incheon Police Agency took over the case Nov. 2 and interviewed the two flight attendants, who told them they found the harassment unpleasant and wanted Odbayar and his colleague charged.
Following the allegations surfacing, the Mongolian Constitutional Court denied they occurred, saying the misconduct was committed by another Mongolian citizen who was sitting in the row behind the chairman during the flight.