Security camera footage shows Yangyang Mayor Kim Jin-ha in December of last year. Captured from KBS Gangwon YouTube channel

Kim Jin-ha, the mayor of Yangyang County in Gangwon Province, is facing allegations that he engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior with a woman civilian petitioner and accepted bribes.

The opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has called for an investigation into the mayor amid growing public outrage after reports surfaced saying that Kim lowered his pants in front of the woman. The alleged incident occurred in December of last year inside his vehicle.

The DPK released a statement referencing reports from 2022 that stated Kim committed sexual offenses and harassed the woman multiple times. "If true, this is a shocking criminal act," the party said.

The party also mentioned security camera footage from the petitioner's cafe, showing Kim pulling down his pants inside the cafe and adjusting his clothes in the backseat of his vehicle.

The party continued, "Despite this, mayor Kim shamelessly explained, 'It is true that I removed my pants, but it was at the woman's request,' and 'I don't remember why we were in the backseat of the car together,'" criticizing his response.

After Kim Jin-ha exits the vehicle, the woman petitioner is seen getting out of the same vehicle. Captured from KBS Gangwon YouTube channel

Further allegations have surfaced, suggesting that Kim received cash and other gifts, such as a massage chair, from the woman in exchange for resolving her complaints.

The DPK emphasized the seriousness of the situation, saying, "A mayor who should lead with integrity has instead used his power to exploit civilians for sexual gain. This is a clear criminal act."

They demanded Kim's resignation and urged him to cooperate with authorities.

On Tuesday, KBS reported that Kim had engaged in multiple instances of inappropriate sexual behavior toward a civilian in December of last year. The report included footage showing Kim adjusting his pants after stepping out of a car parked in front of the victim's cafe, followed by a woman exiting the vehicle.

The scandal has prompted Kim to leave his party, with the ruling People Power Party confirming Monday that Kim left the party due to "personal reasons."

Kim has been serving as Yangyang governor since his election in 2014, successfully securing his third term in 2022.

Yangyang Mayor Kim Jin-ha stands in front of reporters after being fined for violating election laws at the Sokcho branch of the Chuncheon District Court on May 30, 2019. Kim has served as Yangyang mayor since his 2014 election and successfully secured three consecutive terms. Yonhap

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.