Minister of a church to be punished for sexual harassment

People were shocked while attending a Wednesday worship at a church in Seoul in July last year.

Speaking to over 100 believers, the minister said, "Let me tell you something that is not included in Bible. Hawa secretly nipped off two apples and swallowed them, and the apples ascended from the stomach and became breast." He placed his two hands on his chest and lifted them up. He added, "(Women) are ashamed of wearing caps (on their breast) because of the crime committed."

When his preach was over, people requested that he apologize for the sexual harassment. In one of his previous preaches, he had said, "Women`s skirts and preaches are better the shorter."

The believers filed a petition to the Human Rights Commission on the minister`s remarks, to which the commission said in September last year, "We recommend the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in Korea take disciplinary action to the minister based on internal regulations and prepare plans to prevent further occurrence."

Against this backdrop, the minister claimed, "I have never spoke as such and had no intention on sexual harassment," and filed a suit to court saying "Please cancel the commission`s decision."

The judge at the Seoul Administrative Court dismissed the claim by the minister, saying, "It is difficult to see that believers made false statements. They must have been humiliated sexually and felt hatred due to his comments."

coolup@donga.com