[CW: Child abuse, SA] South Korean pastor known for bringing numerous N. Korean defectors to S. Korea now under investigation for molestation at the boarding school he established for defectors
[CW: Child abuse, SA] South Korean pastor known for bringing numerous N. Korean defectors to S. Korea now under investigation for molestation at the boarding school he established for defectors
Yet another North Korean defector story goes awry.
"Asian Schindler" Under Investigation for Molestation
Pastor Chun Ki-won 천기원 목사, founder of Durihana 두리하나, a Christian aid organization known for helping North Koreans defect. Chun’s work helping over 1,000 defectors reach Seoul since 1999 has won him glowing coverage from CNN and the New York Times, including anointment as “the Asian Schindler.”
Perhaps they spoke too soon. On August 2 and 3, KBS News reported that a police investigation revealed that Chun had been sexually molesting teenage girls at the boarding school he established for North Korean defectors. Dozens of girls reported that the pastor routinely groped them over a period of several years, to the point that several girls dropped out of the school and students who stayed would lock their doors if they saw the pastor coming to the dormitory.
Chun, who had been scheduled to appear at an event in the United States, was banned from leaving the country.
South Korean pastor arrested for sexually harassing young North Korean defectors
The 67-year-old pastor, identified only by his family name Chun, was the boarding school’s principal, reported Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday, citing the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
The news outlet also said Chun is accused of having sexually molested young defectors since 2018.
In July, eight North Koreans, who studied at the boarding school, filed a complaint against Chun, reported KBS World. They alleged that Chun had sexually molested them for years, said the report.