Gabjil 119, a civic organization, conducted a survey of 1,000 employees and found that only 10.3% of respondents who experienced workplace bullying reported it. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jun. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – A recent survey by a civic group has revealed that only 1 in 10 victims of workplace bullying in South Korea report the incidents to their company, labor union, or the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
The findings come as the amended Labor Standards Act, which prohibits workplace bullying, approaches its fifth anniversary next month. Despite the legislation, the survey suggests that power abuse and inequality in workplaces remain largely unchanged.
Gabjil 119, a civic organization, conducted a survey of 1,000 employees and found that only 10.3% of respondents who experienced workplace bullying reported it. The actual reporting rate may be even lower due to the possibility of multiple responses, the organization noted.
Instead of reporting, many victims chose to endure the bullying or quit their jobs. When asked about their response to workplace bullying (with multiple answers allowed), 60.6% said they “endured it or pretended not to notice,” while 23.1% “quit the company.”
While 27.2% of respondents said they “protested individually or with colleagues,” the rates of official reporting were low. Only 8.1% reported to their company or labor union, and a mere 2.2% filed complaints with relevant authorities such as the Ministry of Employment and Labor or the National Human Rights Commission.
More than half (62.8%) of those who did report bullying said they did not receive appropriate measures such as workplace relocation or paid leave during the investigation process.
One respondent told Gabjil 119 via KakaoTalk that they were forced to transfer departments by their manager for reporting workplace bullying.
Yoon Ji-young, a lawyer and representative of Gabjil 119, stated, “The majority of victims don’t dare to report workplace bullying, and those who do often face retaliation instead of protection.” She emphasized the need to strengthen the law prohibiting workplace bullying and address its blind spots.
The survey was conducted by Global Research, a professional polling organization, from May 31 to June 10, targeting 1,000 employees aged 19 and older nationwide. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
