[In Court: Direct Reporting]⑥ "Employees Asking Specifically About Reporting Methods... Social Awareness Has Changed"

Over 180 Volunteers Including Lawyers, Labor Consultants, and Professional Activists
"Recording Victim Accounts and Evidence Is the Starting Point for Problem Solving"

"When a speed limit is set, we think that 'we must obey the speed limit' even if there is not a single person on the street. The perception created by the 'Workplace Harassment Prevention Act' is the same."

On the 10th, Oh Jin-ho, Executive Director of Workplace Bullying 119, was interviewed by Asia Economy at the Workplace Bullying 119 office in Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Kim Dae-hyun]

On the 10th, at the office of Workplace Gapjil 119 in Jung-gu, Seoul, Executive Director Oh Jin-ho explained the importance of the 'Workplace Harassment Prevention Act.'

Launched in November 2017, Workplace Gapjil 119 is a private public interest organization that provides counseling and solutions for workplace harassment issues faced by workers. About 180 volunteers, including lawyers, labor attorneys, and professional activists, assist workers who suffer harassment at work.

Workers can anonymously share their concerns and receive support on the Workplace Gapjil 119 platform regardless of location or occupation, without being restricted by a fixed format. Counseling is conducted via KakaoTalk open chat and email. Currently, about 1,400 people, including volunteers and workers needing counseling, participate in the open chat room. Through this, approximately 100 harassment consultations are received daily. Email submissions are about 10 per day. As of the end of October last year, the total number of accumulated cases over five years since its launch was 118,000.

Director Oh cited the passage and enforcement of the 'Workplace Harassment Prevention Act' as a representative achievement of their activities so far. He said, "South Korea is the first country in Asia to legally specify a treaty prohibiting workplace harassment. Legislative discussions began in earnest at the end of 2017, and it is very unusual that the law was enacted in just about a year." He added, "In July 2018, when various expos?s related to Gapjil in labor, sports, culture, and other fields poured out like mushrooms, the government announced measures to eradicate harassment. Ordinary workers courageously came forward with related expos?s, which led to the creation of a new law."

Director Oh also explained that the enforcement of the Workplace Harassment Prevention Act has had the effect of reducing Gapjil and harassment in Korean workplaces. According to a survey conducted by Workplace Gapjil 119 last month from the 3rd to the 10th targeting 1,000 workers, 30.1% of respondents said they experienced workplace harassment in the past year. This is a 14.4% decrease compared to 44.5% in June 2019, before the law was enforced.

The content of recent consultations has also become more specific compared to the early days of Workplace Gapjil 119. Director Oh said, "In the past, many cases involved people asking whether what they experienced was indeed harassment, but recently, there has been an increase in cases asking how to report harassment and Gapjil. They specifically inquire whether the report will be recognized as workplace harassment and how the resolution process works."

He emphasized, "The reason harassment problems persist worldwide is that any company inevitably has a power hierarchy," adding, "Ultimately, prevention and management at the company and organizational level are important." As an improvement to the harassment prevention law, he suggested expanding and applying the law’s provisions to workers in workplaces with fewer than five employees. He stated, "Provisions related to the Labor Standards Act, represented by workplace harassment, should be expanded to include marginalized workplace groups such as workers in businesses with fewer than five employees, freelancers, and subcontracted workers." He argued, "'The right to be treated humanely as a worker' can be introduced regardless of a business’s capacity."

As the first steps for workers who have experienced harassment, he pointed out 'recording' and 'seeking help.' Director Oh explained, "For future reporting, it is the 'starting point for problem resolution' to specifically record the harm you have experienced and keep related evidence. Based on this, it is necessary to receive counseling from counseling institutions or consult with people around you."

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