The South Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles, led by Consul General Young-wan Kim, is facing multiple internal misconduct allegations this year, including embezzlement and sexual harassment, some of which have already led to criminal proceedings.
According to documents provided to Rep. Tae-ho Kim of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, disciplinary cases within the LA Consulate involved embezzlement by administrative staff, workplace bullying and sexual harassment, and failure to follow official directives.
The findings come ahead of the consulate’s parliamentary audit scheduled for October 22, where lawmakers are expected to focus on lax discipline and internal oversight. The official report submitted to Kim’s office did not disclose details such as incident dates, the nature of harassment, victim identities, or the amount of embezzled funds, citing confidentiality. The document only stated that “criminal proceedings are underway.”
When contacted by The Korea Daily on October 7, Consulate spokesperson Cheol Park said, “Legal procedures are ongoing, so it’s difficult to discuss details.”
In 2022, two administrative staff members were found to have falsely claimed overtime pay and were issued formal reprimands. The consulate confirmed that the misappropriated amount was fully recovered but did not specify the total sum. “Both employees remain in their positions,” Park said.
Repeated cases of misconduct have raised concerns about ethical standards and disciplinary enforcement within one of South Korea’s most important overseas missions, which serves Southern California’s large Korean community. Critics say that despite the presence of staff dispatched from law enforcement and other ministries, incidents involving sexual harassment, embezzlement, and insubordination continue to occur—pointing to weak internal accountability and oversight.
A former staff member familiar with the consulate’s operations told The Korea Daily, “There’s little sense of unified discipline. Everyone just focuses on their own duties, and there isn’t much interaction between consuls and administrative staff.”
Commenting on the issue, Rep. Tae-ho Kim said, “The LA Consulate represents the world’s largest Korean community abroad, and it must uphold the highest standards of public integrity. Incidents of sexual harassment and workplace bullying cannot be overlooked. Both the Consul General and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must conduct a thorough investigation and implement strong preventive measures.”
The LA Consulate General continues to handle a high volume of civil requests from Korean Americans across Southern California, but public complaints persist about staff shortages and slow administrative processing, as previously reported by The Korea Daily on October 8.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
