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| Former South Chungcheong Province Gov. An Hee-jung leaves the Seoul Western District Court after a court hearing on Tuesday. The lower court found him not guilty of sexually abusing his former secretary. Yonhap |
A lower court on Tuesday found former South Chungcheong Province Gov. An Hee-jung not guilty of sexually abusing his former secretary.
The Seoul Western District Court said that there is not sufficient evidence to prove An used his position to have sexual relations with the plaintiff against her will.
"The evidence presented by the prosecution is insufficient to substantiate the charges that his actions infringed on the victim's sexual freedom," it said.
The 54-year-old politician was indicted in April on charges of forcing his former secretary, Kim Ji-eun, to have sex with him four times and molesting her multiple times between the middle of last year and early this year in Seoul and while on overseas business trips.
In the last hearing, held on July 27, prosecutors demanded four years in prison for the former governor, as well as his registration as a sex offender.
The lawyers for the defendant said they are "appalled" by the ruling.
An was charged on three counts of sexual violence including sexual intercourse and harassment by abuse of occupational authority. His charges carried a possible prison term of up to five years or a 15 million won (US$13,000) fine.
An apologized to the public over the scandal but never admitted to the charges. He stepped down as governor in March, days after Kim made the revelation in a cable TV news interview.
The scandal has dealt a serious blow to the political career of the former Democratic Party lawmaker, who was once touted as a potential presidential candidate from South Korea's liberal bloc. The party expelled him after the scandal broke. (Yonhap)
