Jung Chung-rae, Ha Jung-woo cleared of child abuse charges over 'oppa' remark to first-grader

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Jung Chung-rae and Ha Jung-woo, chairman of the party's Busan Buk-gu-gap district committee, have been cleared of child abuse charges stemming from an incident during the June 3 National Assembly by-election campaign, in which they asked a first-grade girl to call them "oppa," an informal Korean term for an older brother or male acquaintance.

The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency recently decided not to refer the two to prosecutors on charges of violating the Child Welfare Act through emotional abuse, according to Yonhap and other outlets Friday.

Police reviewed the circumstances at the scene and determined that while the remark was inappropriate, it did not rise to the level of abusive conduct and that the child's development had not been harmed in practice.

The Busan District Prosecutors' Office Western Branch reached a similar conclusion, and the investigation was closed.

The controversy began on May 3, during the June 3 by-election campaign, when Jung was campaigning with then-candidate Ha at Gupo Market in Busan's Buk-gu district. Jung told a first-grade girl, "This is Jeong-woo oppa — go ahead and call him oppa," and Ha also said "oppa."

The two later issued public apologies to the child and her parents. Nevertheless, a civic group called the Student-Parent-Teacher Human Rights Protection Alliance filed a complaint with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office alleging emotional abuse under the Child Welfare Act.