Labor umbrella group leaders resign over attempted rape scandal

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with details in paras 7-9)
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- The entire leadership of the Korean Confederation of
Trade Unions (KCTU), a leading labor umbrella group, resigned on Monday, holding
themselves responsible for an attempted rape scandal involving a ranking KCTU
member.
The more militant and progressive of the nation's two largest labor federations,
the KCTU came under fire after one of its senior officials, identified only as
"K," was accused of attempting to rape a female KCTU member in her home near
Seoul last December.
The KCTU took a further beating when the unidentified victim said last week that
the group's leadership attempted to cover up the failed rape attempt.
KCTU Chairman Lee Suk-haeng and three other members of the confederation's
nine-member leadership announced their resignations, saying they sincerely
apologize to the victim and vowing to revamp the labor group's internal
organization to eradicate sexual violence.
Five other members of the KCTU leadership, mostly vice chairpersons, already
offered to resign last week after issuing a public apology.
The KCTU chairman announced his resignation from jail, as he has been under
arrest since last December on charges of organizing illegal strikes to protest
against U.S. beef imports.
The confederation initially downplayed the allegation as an isolated incident
involving a single member when the case became public last Thursday.
"We've come to regret that we ended up inflicting additional damage (to the
victim) after the incident ended up becoming public," Chin Young-ok, the KTCU
vice chairman, quoted Lee as saying while explaining how the body's leaders came
to hold themselves responsible.
Chin, however, claimed that there was never any cover-up attempt and said the
group plans to launch an investigative body to conduct a thorough probe of the
incident.
According to KCTU officials, the woman, who claims to have narrowly escaped a
rape attempt by K at her home, is known to be a union member who offered a
hideout for Lee Suk-haeng late last year.
The suspect, who was fired by the KCTU last week, is alleged to have made several
attempts to sexually assault the female member while trying to persuade her to
make a false statement to the police about providing shelter to Lee, said the
officials. The suspect has apologized to the woman, saying he was under the
influence of alcohol at the time.
The victim last week asked the prosecution to launch a criminal investigation
into her case, alleging that the labor group initially tried to cover up the
scandal.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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