Once harassed herself, S.Korean lawyer fights for #MeToo victims

Samsung Electro-Mechanics

14/03/2018 23:00

By Heekyong Yang and Ju-min Park
    SEOUL, March 15 (Reuters) - Almost a decade ago, Lee Eun-eui
was thrust into a lonely battle against her employer Samsung
after she reported unwelcome touching by a superior.
    Shamed by her supervisors and sidelined by her colleagues,
Lee’s career as an international sales representative at the
company stagnated. 
    “No one will be on your side,” Lee says her boss told her. 
    After two years, Lee won a lawsuit against her employer
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co Ltd  009150.KS , prevailing against
part of a conglomerate so large and powerful in South Korea that
the country is often referred to as the “Republic of Samsung”.
    Lee has since built a new career as a lawyer helping other
South Korean women with sex abuse cases. 
    Haunted by her colleagues' silence, Lee hopes the #MeToo
movement now sweeping the country will inspire more people to
stand up for women who might otherwise experience the shame and
silence she faced. 
    “What people need to think about now amid the #MeToo
movement is empathizing with those #MeToo stories that are not
personally related to them,” Lee said.
    
    LONG LEGAL BATTLE
    After sluggish start, the global #MeToo movement has
gathered pace in South Korea, leading to accusations in recent
weeks of sexual assault and harassment against prominent
politicians, entertainers and religious figures.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N1QO2VU
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N1QN3B8
    Seoul has since vowed to strengthen laws against sexual
assault and implement measures to reduce harassment.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N1QQ1L7  
    Lee's personal battle began in 2005 when she reported the
abuse to her human resources department, only to be ostracized.
    In desperation, she filed a complaint to Samsung’s chairman
Lee Kun-hee. Lee says the Samsung chairman did not respond.
    "If I was a little bit weaker mentally, I would have jumped
off the building at Taepyung Street," Lee said of Samsung's then
headquarters.  
    In 2008, Lee filed a civil lawsuit alleging her employer did
not do enough to protect her while inflicting mental pain on
her.
    The Suwon District Court ruled in her favour in 2010 and
ordered Samsung Elec-Mech to pay her around 40 million won 
($37,460) in damages.
    "Although the plaintiff was sexually harassed at work, the
defendant Samsung Electro-Mechanics did not take an appropriate
measure and even put her at a disadvantage. Therefore, it is
clear that this inflicted mental pain on the plaintiff," the
court verdict said. 
    Samsung Elec-Mech did not comment after the case and
declined comment when contacted by Reuters for this story.
     Lee thinks her case did lead to needed reforms at Samsung,
which did not appeal the verdict and has since treated sex abuse
cases more fairly, according to Lee, citing feeback from her
former colleagues.
    "Samsung is very sensitive about problems they have
experienced," she said. "I think we have both grown up by
confronting each other." 
    
    "I HAVE BEEN THERE"
    Other lawyers supporting victims say there have been
improvements with South Korea's handling of sexual abuse cases
to better help those seeking justice in the courtroom. 
    "In the legal realm, courts have recently begun to accept
victims’ testimonies as direct evidence rather than
circumstantial evidence if those testimonies are detailed and
consistent," said Kim Soo-jin, an attorney from the Korean Women
Lawyers Association.
    Lee has been offering free legal help for victims of sexual
violence since 2015,  as part of a South Korean government's
programme to support the victims. She says many are still
hesitant to take their cases to the court. 
    "Office workers are still afraid of talking about their
stories publicly... There are many loopholes where companies can
take minimal actions and get away from it," Lee said.
    "It is not victims' preference to come out and talk. They
are desperate. I know, because I have been there." 
($1 = 1,067.8000 won)

 (Reporting by Ju-min Park and Heekyong Yang
Editing by Lincoln Feast)
 ((ju-min.park@thomsonreuters.com; +82 2 3704 5650; Reuters
Messaging: ju-min.park.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))