South Korean #MeToo pioneer Seo Ji-hyun faces legal setback

South Korea’s highest court has rejected claims for compensation from Seo Ji-hyun, the trailblazer behind the country’s #MeToo movement.

The decision comes after Seo filed a lawsuit against her former boss, Ahn Tae-geun, accusing him of sexual abuse and career sabotage.

Seo alleged that Ahn groped her at a funeral in 2010 and orchestrated her transfer from Seoul to a provincial position when she lodged an internal complaint, effectively derailing her career as a state prosecutor.

Despite enduring years of silence, Seo went public in a 2018 television interview, sparking a wave of accusations against powerful figures across various sectors.

In 2018, Seo sought 100 million won ($77,000) in damages from Ahn, including compensation from the government. However, two lower courts dismissed her claims, citing the expiration of the statute of limitations for damages and the difficulty in deeming Ahn’s actions as “harmful” or “illegal.”

The Supreme Court upheld these decisions on Thursday, prompting Seo to express disappointment, calling the ruling “shameful” in a Facebook post.

Notably, Ahn, Seo’s former boss, had been sentenced to two years in prison for abuse of power in 2019 but was not charged with sex abuse due to the expired statute of limitations.

Despite a brief period of imprisonment, Ahn’s conviction was overturned in 2020, leading to his acquittal and subsequent reported employment at Kim & Chang, a prominent law firm.

Seo, who claimed to have faced malicious rumors and emotional distress since her 2018 interview, stated that she was effectively forced to leave her state prosecutor position.

Her case has become emblematic of the struggles faced by well-educated and hard-working South Korean women who endure discrimination and mistreatment from their employers, highlighting the slow pace of societal change.

In response to the ruling, Seo expressed resilience, stating, “Although my journey ends here, I believe that the women who come after me, the next generations, will take another step forward.”

Activists view Seo’s story as a stark illustration of the challenges confronting women in South Korea and their determination for progress despite setbacks.