Arrest warrant to be issued for Korean charged with sexual harassment

Taipei, Dec. 5 (CNA) Taiwan High Court said Thursday it is in the process of issuing an arrest warrant for a Korean national charged with sexually harassing two of his Taiwanese students in Taipei after it was discovered the man has left the country.

Despite the fact that Park Jae-kyung, who taught Korean Language and Culture at Taipei-based National Chengchi University (NCCU), failed to show up for a court hearing in October, the court only decided to issue an arrest warrant for the defendant after learning he had left Taiwan.

Park was sentenced to 14-months in prison by Taipei District Court in Dec. 2018 after being found guilty of sexual harassing two Taiwanese students while teaching Korean language at NCCU from March to May 2017.

The sentence was commutable to a fine of NT$420,000 (US$13,662).

Pleading not guilty, Park appealed the case to the Taiwan High Court and attended a court hearing in May, according to the court.

Although the lower court had previously prohibited Park from leaving the country, that order expired on April 7 and the High Court did not extend it.

The court said Thursday a new order barring Park from leaving the country was not issued because the defendant faces a relatively lenient sentence which is commutable to a fine.

The 45-year-old was accused of repeatedly and inappropriately touching two female students against their will in his office, under the guise of engaging in language exchange sessions. NCCU later terminated Park's contract after reviewing the allegations made against him.

In a separate civil suit, Park was ordered by Taipei District Court Wednesday to pay NT$800,000 (US$26,230) in damages to the two students, with one receiving NT$500,000 and the other NT$300,000.