(Herald DB)
(Herald DB)

A written statement by the alleged victim in former ruling party lawmaker Chang Je-won's case of alleged rape was recently acquired by police, which showed that he handed her an envelope of money after the attack.

South Korean police officials investigating Chang for sexual assault said Sunday they have found this note written by the victim in 2022. It details how she was attacked in 2015 in a hotel by Chang, how she faked going to the bathroom and escaped, that she filed a police report and got help from a counseling center, and that the then-lawmaker of the conservative ruling People Power Party handed her the money afterwards.

The statement was written years before the victim filed for criminal charges against Chang in January this year.

Chang is charged with what is called "quasi-rape" in Korea. Quasi-rape is defined by the Article 299 of the Criminal Act as sexual intercourse with another by taking advantage of the other's condition of unconsciousness or inability to resist. According to the act, the main difference from rape is that the quasi-rape refers to intercourse without the victim's consent by abusing the victim's inability to resist -- for example by being too drunk -- allowing punishment of the perpetrator even if the victim’s aforementioned inability prohibited them from actively resisting.

Chang has been accused of committing sexual assault on his then-secretary at a hotel in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul in November 2015. He has denied all charges.

The police investigation has uncovered text messages sent by the Chang after the day of his suspected attack. He said in the messages, "What should I do about my heart if you leave like that?" "Please pick up the phone," "Just tell me where you are."

Chang is married and he and his wife have an adult son. He was the National Assembly representative for Busan's Sasang constituency 2008-2012 and 2016-2024.


minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com