Goyang City Introduces "Malicious Complaint Response Specialists" to Protect Employees

200% Surge in Verbal and Physical Abuse Over the Past Two Years
Firm Response to Unlawful Acts
Comprehensive Management from Initial Response to Legal Action
Reducing the Burden on Affected Employees

Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) announced on March 19 that it will introduce "malicious complaint response specialists" to protect its employees from chronic abusive complaints, including verbal abuse and physical assault.

Goyang City Hall view. Provided by Goyang City

According to the city, the number of unlawful acts committed by civil petitioners increased by approximately 200%, from 25 cases in 2024 to 74 cases in 2025. In response, the city plans to assign specialists to exclusively manage chronic malicious complaints and actively pursue legal action.

Although the city has operated a response system and support programs for malicious complaints in the past, victims have faced considerable burdens because they had to respond directly to police investigations and related procedures.

To address these issues, the city is considering appointing malicious complaint response specialists who will serve as one-stop problem solvers, exclusively handling all procedures related to such complaints.

When a malicious complaint occurs, an affected employee can request assistance by phone, and the specialist will be dispatched to the scene to mediate. The specialist will be responsible for all legal action and follow-up until the issue is resolved. Through this approach, the city expects to minimize secondary damage to employees and enable them to return to work quickly.

The specific roles of the specialist include counseling malicious petitioners, reviewing evidence of unlawful acts, preparing complaints or accusation letters, and accompanying employees during investigations by law enforcement agencies. In addition, the city plans to offer on-site consultations for departments vulnerable to malicious complaints, such as those handling permits or enforcement, and provide training to staff.

A city official stated, "While we respect the legitimate rights of petitioners, we will respond firmly to unlawful acts such as verbal abuse," adding, "If we create a comfortable and safe work environment, it will result in higher quality administrative services for citizens."

The city plans to gather employee feedback and establish detailed plans, with the aim of operating the malicious complaint response specialist system in the second half of this year.

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