I Am Innocent, Your Honor

I am innocent, Your Honor.

In the current Republic of Korea, men accused of sex crimes are presumed guilty from the start, in direct violation of the principle of presumed innocence. Once a man is reported or indicted for a sexual offense, he is forced to prove that he did not commit the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠crime. I, Suk Ho-pil, was once branded a sexual harasser based on nothing but a single consistent statement from the accuser ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and was driven out of my previous firm. That experience finally opened my eyes to the absurd reality facing men in this country today.

And after a long, grueling legal battle, I have today received a not-guilty verdict. Moving forward, I will continue to work actively as a specialist in sex crime ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cases. I will also become an expert in legislation and work to change the unreasonable reality that Korean men are forced to endure. That is all.