South Korea's Progressive Party Leadership Collapses Over Sexual Harassment Scandal

The entire leadership of South Korea's Rebuilding Korea Party resigned en masse on September 7, 2025, taking responsibility for their mishandling of internal sexual harassment allegations. The collapse of the progressive party's leadership structure represents the most significant political crisis since its founding, highlighting deep-seated issues with institutional accountability in Korean progressive politics.

Kim Sun-min, who had been serving as acting party leader, announced the mass resignation during a press conference at the National Assembly. "I sincerely apologize once again to all victims," Kim stated, adding that the leadership "takes full responsibility for the problems that occurred within and outside the party." The resignation encompasses all senior party officials, including floor leader Seo Wang-jin and all supreme council members.

Understanding Korea's Political Party System

For American readers, South Korea's political landscape differs significantly from the U.S. two-party system. The Rebuilding Korea Party, founded by former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, represents what Americans might consider a progressive Democratic faction focused on prosecutorial reform and civil rights. Similar to how Bernie Sanders represents the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, Cho Kuk's party positioned itself as the voice of institutional reform and victim advocacy within Korea's liberal political spectrum. The party gained prominence by championing prosecutorial reform - an issue that resonates with American discussions about criminal justice reform, though Korea's concerns center more on prosecutorial overreach in political cases.

The party's collapse carries implications beyond domestic politics. In American terms, imagine if a prominent civil rights organization faced internal misconduct allegations while simultaneously advocating for victims' rights in the broader society - the contradiction would severely undermine their moral authority and political effectiveness.

Timeline of the Sexual Harassment Crisis

The scandal that toppled the party leadership began in July 2024, when a party employee reported sustained sexual harassment by a superior. The harassment reportedly occurred in various settings - during taxi rides, at party rallies, and during post-event gatherings - continuing for nearly ten months. The victim filed formal complaints with the party's women's committee on April 15 and 18, 2025, but the party failed to take meaningful action.

Only after the victim filed a police report with Seoul's Jongno Police Station on April 28 did the party finally commission an external investigation and separate the alleged perpetrator from their position. This delayed response pattern mirrors problems seen in American institutions, where initial internal complaints are often inadequately addressed until external legal action forces institutional accountability.

According to media reports, the main perpetrators included Kim Bo-hyup, a former spokesperson who previously worked as a journalist for the progressive Hankyoreh newspaper and served as press secretary under former Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom. The party ultimately expelled one perpetrator while giving another a one-year suspension of party membership. However, victims and their supporters faced retaliation, with several leaving the party or facing disciplinary action themselves.

Secondary Victimization and Political Fallout

The crisis deepened when former party spokesperson Kang Mi-jung held a dramatic press conference on September 4, announcing her departure from the party. "What I encountered on this path was sexual harassment, assault, and bullying by those I believed were comrades," Kang declared. She criticized the party for failing to establish any victim support measures even five months after the incidents were reported.

For American readers familiar with #MeToo movement dynamics, this situation exemplifies how institutional failures can compound initial harm. Just as American organizations have learned that mishandling sexual harassment allegations often causes more damage than the original misconduct, the Rebuilding Korea Party's inadequate response created a secondary victimization scandal that proved politically fatal.

The situation deteriorated further when Choi Kang-wook, an official from the main Democratic Party, dismissed the harassment as "trivial problems" during a political academy event, asking "Is this really a matter of life and death?" and using derogatory language about the internal party conflict. This secondary harassment forced the Democratic Party to launch an ethics investigation, demonstrating how the scandal spread beyond the Rebuilding Korea Party itself.

Broader Implications for Korean Progressive Politics

The leadership collapse represents a fundamental contradiction for a party built on victim advocacy and institutional reform. The Rebuilding Korea Party positioned itself as the champion of prosecutorial reform and victims' rights, making its failure to properly handle internal sexual harassment particularly damaging to its credibility. This mirrors situations in American politics where advocacy organizations face credibility crises when their internal practices contradict their public positions.

Party founder Cho Kuk, currently serving as party chairman, issued a belated apology on September 4 via Facebook, expressing "deep sympathy for the victims" and promising to reflect on whether the party had been "negligent in the recovery process." However, Cho acknowledged that he "should have acted more quickly" in addressing the crisis - an admission that may be too little, too late.

The party will now operate under an emergency committee system until its national convention in November 2025. There is speculation about whether Cho Kuk might assume the emergency committee chairmanship ahead of his planned return to party leadership, though external figures may be brought in to help restore public confidence.

Lessons for Democratic Institutions Worldwide

This crisis offers important lessons for democratic institutions globally, including in the United States. The Rebuilding Korea Party's downfall demonstrates how quickly institutional credibility can collapse when organizations fail to align their internal practices with their public values. American readers will recognize parallels to various institutional scandals where the cover-up proved worse than the original offense.

The incident also highlights the challenges facing progressive movements worldwide in maintaining internal accountability while advancing broader social justice goals. Just as American progressive organizations have grappled with internal misconduct while advocating for victims' rights, Korean progressives now face questions about whether they can practice what they preach.

Moving forward, the party's survival will depend on its ability to implement genuine victim-centered reforms and restore public trust through actions rather than words. For Korean progressive politics more broadly, this scandal serves as a stark reminder that moral authority cannot be separated from ethical practice, and that true reform must begin from within.

The international implications extend beyond Korea, as progressive movements worldwide watch to see whether a party built on institutional accountability can hold itself to the same standards it demands from others. The answer may determine not only the Rebuilding Korea Party's political future but also the credibility of progressive politics in one of Asia's most vibrant democracies.

Source: Korean Original Article - 조국혁신당 지도부 총사퇴, 당내 성비위 파문 책임지며 비대위 체제 전환