Swearing, Beating, Speaking Informally... Apartment Security Guards Suffering from 'Gapjil' Abuse

"Clear the Security Guard's Unjust Treatment" 400,000 Join Blue House Petition
Despite 2017 Law Banning 'Gapjil' by Security Guards, Cases Rose from 2 in 2015 to 27 in 2019
Experts Say "Punish Perpetrators to Eradicate Gapjil Abuse"

In front of the apartment security booth in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, where security guard A, who made an extreme choice following a conflict with a resident that began over a "parking issue within the complex," worked, memorial messages from residents were posted on the 11th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Min Jun-young] Voices are rising that it is practically difficult to eradicate power harassment after the case of the late apartment security guard Choi Hee-seok, who took his own life after suffering physical and verbal abuse from residents. Experts emphasized that power harassment must be stopped through punishments that serve as examples to perpetrators when such harm occurs.

According to the Gangbuk Police Station in Seoul on the 10th, the deceased Mr. Choi got into an argument with resident A (49) on the 21st of last month over a double parking issue in the apartment. During the dispute, Mr. A dragged Mr. Choi to the management office and verbally abused him, demanding his dismissal.

Subsequently, Mr. Choi filed a complaint against Mr. A with the police on the 28th of last month. However, he left a note expressing his feelings of injustice and took his own life.

In response to this situation, a petition titled "Please clear the injustice against our apartment security guard" was posted on the Blue House's national petition board on the 11th. As of 9 a.m. on the 21st, 414,725 people had agreed to the petition.

The petitioner, who identified themselves as a resident of the apartment, said, "(The security guard) was truly a good person," adding, "He was a sincere person who sacrificed himself for the apartment residents every time as if they were his own family and his own business."

They continued, "He must have been distressed by threats to kill him for moving his car due to double parking and constant verbal abuse," criticizing, "The perpetrator shows no remorse and acts as if he knows nothing in media interviews."

They also pointed out, "Security guards are also beloved grandfathers, husbands, and fathers in their families," and stressed, "Power harassment by residents must disappear," appealing, "Please help ensure that strict punishment is imposed on the perpetrator."

The problem is that although perpetrators who commit power harassment against security guards are subject to punishment for offenses such as insult and assault, verbal abuse and physical violence continue unabated. There is a call for effective punishment regulations.

Cases of power harassment against security guards continue, such as a security guard who was punched in the philtrum for opening the entrance barrier late last year, and another who was verbally and physically abused in 2018 with remarks like "Does a dog bark at its owner?" for the same reason.

A survey of apartment security workers in the Seoul area revealed that one in five security workers experienced power harassment.

According to the "Seoul Apartment Security Workers Status Survey Report" published by the Seoul Labor Rights Center in October last year, 92 out of 490 security workers who responded to the survey (19.1%) reported experiencing unfair treatment from residents.

Among the 76 respondents who reported experiencing unfair treatment, the average monthly frequency was 8.4 times. In particular, younger security workers and those working in large apartment complexes with over 1,000 households reported higher frequencies of unfair treatment.

The number of power harassment incidents against security guards also increased annually from 2015 to 2019.

According to data from the Housing Management Corporation last year, there were two cases each of verbal and physical abuse against security workers in 2015 and 2016. However, the number rose to 11 in 2017, 31 in 2018, and 27 as of July last year.

Experts suggested that punishment should be enforced to prevent power harassment such as verbal and physical abuse against security guards.

Park Hye-young, an activist with the Labor Health Solidarity, pointed out, "Even though laws are enacted, people on the ground are structurally vulnerable, and the laws do not function, making them useless." She added, "It is also important to impose punishments that serve as examples to perpetrators," warning, "If we do not continuously send the social signal that this is not acceptable, such power harassment will continue to occur."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at a Cabinet meeting held at the Government Sejong Complex on the 19th, "Most security workers find it difficult to seek proper solutions because they worry about disadvantages such as dismissal even when they suffer verbal and physical abuse," and urged, "Relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the National Police Agency should prepare improvement measures so that those suffering unfair treatment, including security workers, can work in a safe environment with respect and dignity."

He continued, "Listen to voices from the field, supplement any deficiencies in related laws and systems, and continue efforts to change societal awareness to eradicate power harassment."

※ If you have difficult feelings such as depression or know family or acquaintances who are struggling, you can receive 24-hour professional counseling at the Suicide Prevention Hotline ☎1393, Mental Health Counseling ☎1577-0199, Hope Call ☎129, Lifeline ☎1588-9191, and Youth Hotline ☎1388.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.