Woo Geun-min (禹瑾敏, born 4 November 1942) is a civil servant and politician of South Korea. He served as the 27th, 28th, 32nd, and 33rd Governor of Jeju Province, and as the 36th Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.1
Education
Non-degree coursework
- 1990: Completed the Executive Management Program at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Seoul National University
Career
- August 1974 – March 1978: Secretary to the Minister, Ministry of Government Administration
- April 1978 – September 1980: Director of the Commendations Division, Ministry of Government Administration
- October 1980 – July 1982: Director of the Personnel Division, Ministry of Government Administration
- August 1982 – December 1985: Auditor, Ministry of Government Administration
- October 1986 – June 1987: Director-General of the Welfare Bureau, Ministry of Government Administration
- July 1987 – March 1988: Director-General of the Administrative Management Bureau, Ministry of Government Administration
- April 1988 – November 1988: Director-General of the Personnel Bureau, Ministry of Government Administration
- December 1988 – February 1991: Director of the Planning and Management Office, Ministry of Government Administration
- March 1991 – July 1991: 12th Chairman of the Appeals Review Committee, Ministry of Government Administration
- Democratic Liberal Party national policy advisory committee member
- December 1995: New Korea Party national policy advisory committee member
- 1995–: President of the General Alumni Association of Myongji University
- August 1991 – December 1993: 27th–28th Governor of Jeju Province
- September 1996 – March 1997: President of Namhae Chemical Corporation
- October 1996 – March 1997: 13th President of the Korea Fertilizer Industry Association
- March 1997 – March 1998: 17th Vice Minister of the Ministry of Government Administration (later Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs)
- 1 July 1998 – 27 April 2004: 32nd–33rd Governor of Jeju Province (re-elected; National Congress for New Politics → Independent → Millennium Democratic Party → Independent → Uri Party; lost his office on 27 April 2004 after the Supreme Court sentenced him to a fine of 3 million won for violating the Public Official Election Act)
- August 2000: Chairman of the Committee for Investigation of the Jeju 4·3 Incident and Restoration of the Honor of Victims
- January 2006: Resigned as civil administration committee member of the Uri Party and announced retirement from politics (left the Uri Party)
- October 2007: Standing adviser of the United New Democratic Party (joined the United New Democratic Party)
- January 2008: Resigned as standing adviser of the United New Democratic Party and announced retirement from politics (left the United New Democratic Party)
- 1 July 2010 – 30 June 2014: 36th Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (first term; Independent → Saenuri Party)
- Saenuri Party
- Chairman of the Jeju Provincial Committee and standing adviser of the Liberty Korea Party
Controversy
On 5 November 2013, Woo applied to join the Saenuri Party. However, during the application process it was reported that he had skipped the funeral of a village head who died while removing pine trees infected with pine wilt disease, and had instead attended a golf meeting with Assemblyman Seo Sang-gi, which sparked controversy.23
Legal proceedings
Sexual harassment allegation and the Ministry of Gender Equality's decision
In January 2002, at the Jeju Provincial Governor's office, Governor Woo was alleged to have sexually harassed (sexually assaulted) Mr. ㄱ, the head of a women's organization in Jeju City. Mr. ㄱ and the Jeju Women's Association reported the sexual assault to the Ministry of Gender Equality in February of the same year. Subsequently, the Gender Discrimination Improvement Committee of the Ministry of Gender Equality recognized Woo's "workplace sexual harassment" on 29 July 2002, and recommended that Woo and Jeju Province pay the victim 10 million won in damages and establish measures to prevent recurrence of sexual harassment. The case drew attention as the first deliberation on whether a senior-level public official had committed sexual assault since the Ministry of Gender Equality was established.4
Lawsuit to annul the sexual harassment decision
First trial
Woo, dissatisfied with the ministry's decision, filed an administrative lawsuit in October 2002 against the Ministry of Gender Equality seeking the annulment of the "decision or ruling of the Gender Discrimination Improvement Committee." In May 2004, the Seoul Administrative Court dismissed Woo's lawsuit.5
Appeal
Woo and Jeju Province appealed to the Seoul High Court in September 2004. On 16 September 2005, the Seoul High Court also dismissed Woo's appeal. According to the court's ruling, "Judging from the circumstances and content of the conversation when former Governor Woo (plaintiff) met Ms. Ko (victim), it is determined that there was a work-related connection, and the plaintiff's claim that the meeting was of a personal nature and unrelated to work is difficult to accept." The court further stated, "The fact that Ms. Ko felt considerable humiliation and disgust in her conversation with the plaintiff is sufficient to be regarded as 'sexual harassment,'" and ruled that "the content of the conversation during the plaintiff's meeting with Ms. Ko was sufficient to cause sexual humiliation."5
Supreme Court appeal
Having lost in both the first and second trials, Woo filed a final appeal to the Supreme Court against the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, which had taken over the Gender Discrimination Improvement Committee's duties from the Ministry of Gender Equality, seeking the annulment of the "sexual harassment decision." In December 2006, the Supreme Court dismissed Woo's appeal, stating that it had "no grounds." Since his lawsuit was dismissed in all three stages, the first trial, the second trial, and the final appeal, over five years, it is interpreted that his sexual harassment case was officially recognized.6
Family
- Spouse: Park Seung-ryeon
- Children: 2 sons
Television appearances
- 2001: KBS2 TV, Super TV: Sunday Is Fun – Departure Dream Team
Footnotes