Choi Yeon-hee

Choi Yeon-hee (Korean: 최연희; born 29 December 1944) is a South Korean politician. He served as a member of the National Assembly for the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th terms.

In February 1972, he passed the 14th Judicial Examination.

In 2004, he became a member of the 17th National Assembly (Grand National Party, Donghae–Samcheok). He served as chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee in the first half of the 17th National Assembly.

Education

• Graduated from Songjeong Elementary School
• Graduated from Bukpyeong Middle School
• Graduated from Seoul High School
• Bachelor of Laws, Seoul National University
• Master of Criminal Law, Graduate School, Sungkyunkwan University
• Doctor of Law, Graduate School, Sungkyunkwan University

Sexual harassment scandal

On 24 February 2006, after Grand National Party leader Park Geun-hye left a drinking gathering attended by Grand National Party officials and the editorial staff and reporters of the Dong-a Ilbo, rumors spread that he had molested a female reporter of the Dong-a Ilbo. He explained that he had "mistaken the place for a restaurant owner's while drunk and made a mistake." In connection with this, on 27 February 2006 he resigned as Secretary-General of the Grand National Party and left the Grand National Party on the same day. Other parties demanded that he resign his National Assembly seat, and the Grand National Party, to which he had belonged, also applied pressure; however, he went into hiding for a time, and on 24 March 2006 he refused the demand for resignation and announced that he would "abide by the law." On 14 July 2006, beginning with his attendance at a regular meeting of the Gangwon Provincial Coordination Council, he resumed public activities,¹ and since a suspended sentence was confirmed, he retained his National Assembly seat. He was elected as an independent candidate in the .