UAE official sent to Korean prosecution for sexual harassment

An official from the United Arab Emirates government who participated in an international conference in South Korea was handed over to the prosecution on charges of sexually harassing a Korean female staff member.

According to police and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Wednesday, a local secretary accompanying the UAE's health minister is alleged to have sexually harassed a Korean female worker at the Global Health Security Agenda meeting event in Seoul on Nov. 30.

The GHSA meeting -- which took place from Nov. 28 to 30 -- was held with the aim of responding to new infectious diseases that threaten public health, and ministers and vice-ministerial officials from 27 countries and 10 international organizations participated.

The secretary, who was handed over to the prosecution, reportedly made intentional physical contact to the victim while taking a commemorative photo on the last day of the event. The KDCA, which was in charge of the event, immediately reported the case to police after the incident.

Police sent the man to the prosecution on Dec. 9 on charges of forced harassment. The suspect has been banned from leaving the country, and is currently being investigated by the Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office.