Han Dong-hoon, a candidate for the People Power Party presidency, said on the 20th that "the crime of non-consensual intercourse can create many unjust victims" and that he is "strongly opposed" to it.
The candidate mentioned this through his Facebook that day.
Earlier, Kim Dong-yeon, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, promised to introduce the crime of non-consensual intercourse while stating, "I will create a fair and safe society for women," bringing the issue to the forefront of the presidential election.
The crime of non-consensual intercourse is centered on changing the elements of the crime of rape from the perpetrator's assault and intimidation to whether the victim consented (revision of Article 297 of the Criminal Act). This aims to change the social perception that requires the victim's "active resistance."
Organizations such as women's groups have criticized that despite rape occurring due to the unequal power structure that exploits women's vulnerable positions and intimate relationships, current laws do not reflect reality.
The candidate mentioned that "even now, the law punishes without consent," and said that if a crime of non-consensual intercourse is established, the accused person, not the prosecutor, will have to essentially prove that there was consent, which will lead to many unjust victims.
He further noted, "I support severe punishment for sex crimes, but the state must prevent unjust victims from arising."
The candidate had previously expressed his opposition during a National Assembly meeting while serving as Minister of Justice in 2023. At that time, he stated, "If a person suspected of a crime cannot prove in court that there was consent at the scene, they will be unjustly punished" and said, "It will be extremely difficult to ascertain and prove the intentions of the other party," reiterating his opposition.
Additionally, the candidate announced a real estate policy pledge to revitalize reconstruction and redevelopment through regulatory relaxation.
He stated, "I will abolish the excess profits recovery system for reconstruction, which is an obstacle to smooth reconstruction."
He emphasized, "In large cities where land is limited, reconstruction and redevelopment must proceed quickly for smooth new supply" and added, "I will boldly abolish the excess profits recovery system to speed up reconstruction."
He mentioned that he would also relax the upper limits on floor area ratio and building coverage ratio.
The candidate explained, "The current system for floor area ratios in residential areas 1, 2, and 3 was established by a complete revision of the Urban Planning Act in 2000," and noted, "At that time, housing prices in Seoul were not as high as they are now, so there was no urgent need to increase supply, and the construction economy of the time influenced this."
He added, "The framework created back then remains unchanged even after a quarter-century" and said, "We will relax the upper limits on floor area ratios and building coverage ratios to revitalize reconstruction and redevelopment and increase the supply of dwellings to stabilize housing prices."
He also said, "I will actively support reconstruction through adjustments to the public contribution portion for new town reconstruction" and emphasized, "We will significantly expand the general supply for youth and newlyweds in areas where green belts are lifted."