South Korean Ministry of Culture faces scrutiny over 61 sexual misconduct cases

National Assembly member Jo Gye-won has called for fundamental measures to improve gender sensitivity within the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and its affiliated organizations. Data released on September 2 reveals that 61 cases of sexual misconduct were confirmed within these entities between 2022 and August 2026.

Specific incidents include an attempted illegal filming by a manager at Grand Korea Leisure (GKL), a subsidiary of the Korea Tourism Organization, and instances of sexual harassment involving a head of an institution at the Korea Craft & Design Foundation. Other reported cases include forced molestation at the Ministry headquarters and inappropriate physical exposure at the Korea Tourism Organization.

Jo criticized the recurring nature of these incidents, describing them as a “painful contradiction” for public institutions meant to lead in gender equality. She urged the Ministry to move beyond superficial annual prevention training and instead implement effective measures that strengthen the accountability of managers and heads of institutions.