DP nominee withdraws over criticisms of defending sex offenders as lawyer

Attorney Cho Soo-jin, the former Democratic Party nominee for Seoul's Gangbuk-B constituency [NEWS1]

A Democratic Party (DP) nominee withdrew her candidacy for the April 10 general election following criticisms over her past defense of sexual offenders as a lawyer.

Attorney Cho Soo-jin, formerly nominated to run for Seoul’s Gangbuk-B constituency, announced in a Facebook post just past midnight on Thursday that she would withdraw her candidacy. Candidate registration for the upcoming general election began on Thursday.

“I have always done my best for my clients as a lawyer,” Cho wrote, adding that she hoped to serve with the same attitude for the public and the residents of Gangbuk District if she became a lawmaker.

Cho added that she made the decision for her party to win, believing that the criticisms against her would continue throughout the election campaign period.

“Please stop attacking the party from now on,” she wrote.

Cho became the district's candidate on Wednesday after the party canceled its nomination of former DP lawmaker Chung Bong-ju.

The DP canceled Chung's nomination after determining he had not properly apologized for past comments that appeared to mock South Korean soldiers who lost their legs in a landmine explosion while patrolling the demilitarized zone in 2015.

Cho's candidacy was quickly jeopardized after it was revealed that she wrote, "women are willing to do sexual intercourse even if they refuse," in her blog.

She was also criticized for defending multiple sexual offenders.

According to the posts from her blog, she defended a man who produced illegal pornography of a 10-year-old. The man was given a suspended sentence. She also defended a man who sexually assaulted a fourth-grade girl last year. The sex offender received a 10-year prison term.

On Friday, DP leader Lee Jae-myung accepted Cho's resignation, saying that he respects her decision, according to his spokesperson Kang Min-seok.

Later in the day, the DP nominated the party's spokesperson Han Min-soo to replace Cho as the candidate for Gangbuk-B district.

The candidate registration for the upcoming general election closed at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Election campaigning will take place from March 28 until April 9. Overseas voting is scheduled from March 27 to April 1, while early voting will take place on April 5 and 6.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]