Prosecutors have sent former Rebuilding Korea Party chief Spokesperson Kim Bo-hyeop, identified as the alleged perpetrator in a sexual misconduct case within the party, to trial without detention.
According to legal sources on Dec. 11, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Women and Children Crime Investigation Division 1 (headed by Director General Park Eun-hye) indicted Kim without detention the previous day on a charge of forcible molestation. Kim is accused of molesting former Rebuilding Korea Party Spokesperson Kang Mi-jung in a taxi in July last year, and of making physical contact by wrapping an arm around Kang's waist at a karaoke room in December the same year.
Earlier, police received a complaint from former Spokesperson Kang in April, launched an investigation, and in September forwarded Kim without detention with a recommendation for indictment.
The Rebuilding Korea Party said that immediately after the report was received, it referred the case to the ethics committee, had an external body investigate the case at the victim's request, accepted the results, and expelled former Spokesperson Kim.
During this process, former Spokesperson Kang raised issues with how the party handled sexual misconduct cases and announced her departure from the party.