Fashion Designer with Habitual Verbal Abuse Ordered to Pay 5 Million Won Compensation to Employee

Seoul Central District Court / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] A famous fashion designer who habitually verbally abused subordinates has been ordered to pay millions of won in compensation.

According to the court on the 3rd, Judge Kim Byung-ryong of the Civil Division 36 at the Seoul Central District Court ruled that former employee Mr. Kim and others of the well-known domestic fashion brand Company A must pay a total of 5 million won in damages in a lawsuit filed against the company representative Mr. Park. Judge Kim stated, "The defendant is responsible for compensating the damages suffered by Mr. Kim and others due to illegal acts such as insult and coercion."

Mr. Park, known as one of the first-generation fashion models in Korea, worked as the representative of fashion brand Company A and reportedly verbally and physically abused subordinate designers. Along with insults such as "Are you a deformed child?" and "Are you a bar girl?", he committed personal defamation, and for reasons like "not working with sense," he pushed shoulders or kicked shins.

Judge Kim partially acknowledged Mr. Park's actions and ruled that he must compensate the victims for mental damages. Judge Kim said, "It is recognized that there was abuse of power such as verbal abuse," and "the consolation damages for mental shock are set at 4 million won for Mr. Kim and 1 million won for another victim, Mr. Jang." However, the court did not accept the plaintiff's claim regarding the coercion of employees to vote for a specific candidate during the 18th and 19th presidential elections. Judge Kim explained, "The submitted evidence is insufficient to recognize this fact." Mr. Park appealed the first trial ruling yesterday.