Rep. Jang Kyung-taek Indicted Without Detention Over Aide Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Jang Kyung-taek, an independent member of the National Assembly accused of sexually assaulting a female aide (a staffer who assists a lawmaker), was indicted without detention on October 30 by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office on charges of quasi-forcible molestation and violation of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act (breach of confidentiality). Indictment without detention means the defendant stands trial without being held in custody. The alleged incident took place two years ago.
Rep. Jang is accused of making inappropriate physical contact with Ms. A, an aide to another lawmaker, at a restaurant in Yeouido, Seoul, in October 2024. Rep. Jang has consistently denied the allegations, countersued Ms. A on charges including false accusation, and requested a review by the police investigative review committee, but both the committee and the police found the sexual assault allegations credible. The police also applied a charge of violating the Sexual Violence Punishment Act (breach of confidentiality), finding that Rep. Jang partially exposed Ms. A's identity as an aide while answering reporters' questions.
The case took two years from the incident to indictment, passing through multiple authorities. In April this year, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office transferred the case to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, citing jurisdictional grounds. The southern branch continued the investigation, questioning Mr. B, Ms. A's partner, as a witness in June. On October 20, while deciding whether to indict, prosecutors personally interviewed Rep. Jang in addition to the standard suspect interrogation. The southern branch explained, "Based on the police investigation records, we questioned those involved in the case, examined video footage taken by a witness, and secured additional materials such as phone call recordings and KakaoTalk messages. This decision was made after sufficient supplementary investigation and legal review."
On the day of his indictment, Rep. Jang countered on Facebook, calling the indictment "the former prosecution's late, sloppy, and evasive prosecution," and vowed to prove the accusation false and his own innocence in court. Both sides' claims are expected to clash during the trial.
