ⓒKBS News

The Seoul Western District Court handed down the not guilty verdict in the sex scandal trial involving former South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung on Tuesday. 

The 54-year-old politician was indicted in April on charges that he sexually assaulted and harassed his then-secretary Kim Ji-eun multiple times from July 2017 to February this year in an abuse of his authority.

The court cleared An of all charges in the first sentencing trial that began at 10:30 a.m., claiming that there was insufficient evidence to prove that he habitually abused his power to have sexual relations with the plaintiff.

The court stated that the victim's testimony lacked credibility. Kim had claimed An had forced her to have sex with him and molested her on five occasions in an abuse of An's occupational authority.

Kim issued a statement following the court ruling, vowing to "fight to the end" until sexual violence committed by those in a position of power can be rightfully judged by law.

Her lawyers said they are "appalled" by the ruling.

Leaving the courtroom, the former governor apologized, saying that he let down the public and vowed to turn over a new leaf.

In the last hearing held in late July, prosecutors had requested four years in prison for the ex-governor as well as court orders on registering him as a sex offender and mandating him to take classes on sexual violence.