Democratic Party Women's Committee Demands Immediate Halt to Sexual Harassment and Dissemination of Manipulated Images Targeting Lee Un-ju

The National Women's Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea has called for an immediate end to the use of sexually derogatory language and the dissemination of manipulated images targeting party member Lee Un-ju.

In a statement released today (July 3), the committee stated, "Recently, sexually derogatory expressions and maliciously manipulated images targeting our party's lawmaker Lee Un-ju have been indiscriminately spread, primarily through certain online communities and social media," adding, "We recognize this issue not merely as political expression, but as serious misogynistic violence."

The Women's Committee explained, "The foundation of the Democratic Party is a democracy that respects diversity," and added, "We should always listen to and accept the diverse opinions and logical criticisms that party members and the public have regarding individual lawmakers and policies."

However, the committee pointed out, "Acts of attacking female politicians by distributing crude words that cause sexual humiliation and offensive images, which completely exceed the scope of legitimate criticism, constitute 'misogynistic violence' and a 'clear infringement of personal rights.'"

They further criticized the acts, stating, "Abusing a woman's body and sexuality as a tool for ridicule simply because of differing thoughts and perspectives is an act that undermines the values of human rights and equality that our society has struggled to build."

The committee also emphasized, "Sexual insults and hate speech cannot be justified under any pretext," and added, "The production, distribution, and sharing of sexually demeaning images targeting female politicians must stop immediately."

Lawmaker Lee's side has initiated legal action, including filing criminal complaints, regarding the recent circulation of obscene materials on some online platforms that feature Lee's face superimposed onto other images.

Lee is currently hospitalized and receiving treatment for stress resulting from the incident.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.