Police panel recommends prosecutor referral for Rep. Jang Kyung-tae over sexual assault allegations

Rep. Jang had been under investigation after being sued in October 2024 for allegedly sexually assaulting a female aide at a restaurant in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. This review was conducted following Rep. Jang's request on the 9th for an assessment of the appropriateness of the police's decision to refer the case to prosecutors.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Investigation Review Committee on the 19th decided to recommend referring Democratic Party lawmaker Jang Kyung-tae to the prosecution for alleged aggravated sexual assault. The committee issued a 'referral' opinion for the aggravated sexual assault charges against Rep. Jang, while suggesting a 'referral after supplementary investigation' for the charge of violating the duty to protect privacy under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes (secondary victimization). The committee reached its conclusion after approximately 4 hours of separate interviews with the investigation team, Rep. Jang, and the accuser's legal representative, followed by about an hour of internal deliberation.

Rep. Jang's side also argued for the necessity of a polygraph test for the accuser. Conversely, the accuser's side reportedly requested punishment for Rep. Jang during the review process.

Meeting reporters after the review at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Rep. Jang stated, "We discussed the events of the case, and I provided a diligent account." When asked if he was confident of being found innocent, he added, "Naturally," asserting, "As there are no charges, there is nothing to acknowledge. There is no evidence."