Gov`t to investigate sexual crimes against female soldiers

The Defense Ministry will launch investigation on the state of sexual assault crimes against female soldiers. A survey will be conducted of all female soldiers on whether they have been sexually assaulted and in what circumstances. The investigation involving entire female soldiers is the first since the foundation of the Army in Korea.

According to military sources on Wednesday, the ministry will survey female officers in the Army, Navy and Air Force (including Marine Corps) for a month starting at the end of this month. As of the end of June, there were 9,228 female soldiers including some 6,000 from the Army Force. The survey will uncover cases of sexual assaults, harassments and remarks.

Recently, the major general of the Army`s 17th Infantry Division sexually harassed a female officer, which led to military authorities fear that demoralization has become all too pervasive, thus declaring a war against sexual crimes within military. Sexual crimes have been growing rapidly in recent years in military. According to the Defense Ministry`s audit results, charges on sexual crimes in military rose to 105 cases last year from 56 in 2010, and 79 cases were reported in this year`s first half. The number has increased three fold in the past four years. From 2010 up to the end of June this year, sexual crimes accounted for 83 cases (62.9 percent) of a total 132 cases on crimes against female soldiers.

A military source said, "We will uncover sexual discipline violations through one-to-one interviews and survey by counselors dispatched in Divisions." Focused survey will be conducted on cases of habitual sexual harassments by superiors on female soldiers waiting for promotion. Secondary crimes on female soldiers who already suffered sexual harassment will also be uncovered.

The 17th Division commander had called his subordinate female officer, who had previously been sexually abused, to his office to console and encourage her but he was found to have molested her before getting arrested.

The ministry plans to strictly censure those who committed crimes regardless of ranks. The 17th Division commander nominated the lieutenant colonel, who had been arrested for criminal charges in 2010 for allegedly sexually harassing first lieutenant who died, as a judge in charge of sexual crimes. The ministry is determined to prevent such cases from happening again.

"The latest measure comes from order by Defense Minister Han Min-koo," a high-ranking military official said. "There is high sense of danger that military discipline can`t be established without eradicating sexual crimes."