‘Demanding Moving Expenses, Assault on Public Official’ Reported to Police… Public Officials Union Calls for Measures Against Malicious Complaints

Obstruction of Official Duties and Assault Charges

The Korean Government Employees' Union (Jeongongno) announced on the 29th that it reported a civil complainant to the police for verbally abusing and hitting the head of a public official at a community service center for two months while making unreasonable demands such as "pay the moving expenses."

On the afternoon of the 29th, a memorial event for victims of malicious complaints was held near City Hall Station in Seoul, attended by public officials and workers.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Jeongongno stated, "Complainant A visited a community service center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul two to three times a week last month and almost daily this month, persistently demanding moving expenses without justification from the victim, a social welfare officer." They added, "During this process, verbal abuse occurred, and on the morning of the 12th, the victim was hit twice on the head."

Jeongongno said, "The victim was scared and feared retaliation, so they sought help from the union." Accordingly, the Gangseo Branch of Jeongongno filed a complaint against A at the Gangseo Police Station in Seoul on charges of obstruction of official duties and assault. It was reported that A had previously demanded cash-type support that was not applicable and caused disturbances when refused.

The two major government employee unions urged the government to establish measures to protect public officials from malicious complaints. Jeongongno and the Korean Government Employees' Union Federation (Gongnochoeng) held the "Malicious Complaint Victims Memorial Government Workers Rally" in Taepyeong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, stating, "The physical and mental suffering experienced by government worker employees due to increasingly severe malicious complaints is growing day by day," and emphasized, "There must be a shift in public perception recognizing malicious complaints as crimes, along with institutional measures to eradicate them."

According to a public survey conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the online public communication platform 'Sotong24,' 98.9% of the public responded that legal action such as lawsuits or complaints is necessary when public officials are subjected to illegal acts by complainants.

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