Controversy Over Light Disciplinary Action Advising Apology for Jeju Director A Accused of Employee 'Harassment'

Grievance Review Committee: "Workplace Bullying Hard to Observe"

Center Union Immediately Opposes: "Cannot Even Assess the Extent of Harm"

[Jeju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Chang-won] Controversy has arisen as a lenient decision of a 'recommendation to apologize' was made regarding a high-ranking Jeju Island official accused of harassing a pregnant employee at a previous workplace.

This decision is escalating conflicts with the labor union.

According to Jeju Island and Jeju International Convention Center on the 23rd, Director A, currently affiliated with Jeju Island, was reported on July 14 for harassing pregnant employee B at the workplace.

The center formed a grievance review committee, held two hearings, and on the 21st, finally decided that it did not constitute workplace harassment.

However, since B complained of work-related stress due to Director A's language and work instructions, the center took action to 'recommend' an apology regardless of whether harassment occurred.

Following this decision, the labor union immediately protested. They claimed that the ambiguous measure meant the center management did not even accurately assess the extent of the damage.

A union official said, "Isn't this similar to saying 'I drank alcohol, but I did not drive drunk'?" and added, "Grievance reviews should judge the presence of harm from the victim's perspective, similar to workplace sexual harassment issues, but the center management failed to properly assess the damage caused by a powerful Jeju provincial director and ended with an ambiguous recommendation to apologize."

B, who claims to be the victim, said, "From the beginning of filing the grievance, I intended to focus on childbirth and childcare without raising further issues as long as there was a sincere apology rather than punishment," and added, "If Director A does not offer a sincere apology regarding this result, I plan to request a re-examination."

Director A, who was dispatched to the center last year and returned to Jeju this year, has also been under scrutiny for conduct issues, including a 'free meal controversy' during his time at the center.

Multiple attempts to contact Director A via phone calls and text messages for his explanation have failed.

Jeju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Chang-won baekok@asiae.co.kr

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