"Son's Self-Esteem Crushed by Colleagues Treating Him Like an Invisible Man"
The bereaved family of a newly appointed civil servant at Daejeon City Hall who died by suicide held a press conference in front of Daejeon City Hall on the morning of the 26th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Amid the recent tragic suicide of a public official in their 20s at Daejeon City Hall, who was undergoing treatment for depression caused by workplace bullying, the bereaved family has called for the punishment of those responsible. In particular, the family criticized Daejeon City's lukewarm response and demanded accountable measures.
According to the family on the 26th, Mr. A (25) was appointed through the Grade 9 public service exam in January of this year and was assigned to a department at Daejeon City Hall in July. However, just three months later, on the 26th of last month, he took his own life.
The family and their legal representatives claim that the causes included being ignored by colleagues, excessive workload, unfair orders and treatment, and group bullying directed at Mr. A.
It was reported that Mr. A was instructed during his lifetime to "arrive one hour early to prepare tea, coffee, and tidy the desk for the supervisor." Feeling this was unfair, Mr. A refused, saying "I cannot do that," after which he was reportedly ignored and bullied by team members.
At a press conference held in front of Daejeon City Hall that day, Mr. A’s mother appealed, saying, "My child, who was happy to work at Daejeon City Hall, ended up dying because of working there."
She continued, "My son had to spend 12 hours with colleagues who made bullying remarks without hesitation," and expressed her anger, saying, "His self-esteem was trampled on by colleagues who treated him like an invisible person."
Mr. A’s mother emphasized, "They treated my son as if he were invisible, excluded him from conversations, and increasingly isolated and bullied him within the team," calling for investigation and disciplinary procedures against the perpetrators. She also demanded that his death be recognized as a work-related fatality due to workplace bullying and that a memorial be erected within the city hall.
The incident first came to public attention after being posted on the online community board 'Nate Pann.'
On the 30th of last month, a post titled "A friend appointed as a public official at Daejeon City Hall committed suicide due to workplace bullying" was written by Mr. B, who identified himself as an acquaintance of the deceased. He lamented, "It still feels like a dream and is hard to accept that my friend, who was brighter than anyone and gave me a lot of strength, suddenly passed away."
Mr. B said, "Mr. A was often told things like 'You are ignored because you are young,' 'Since you are the only administrative official, others don’t cooperate,' 'They don’t respond when you greet them,' 'They treat you worse than soldiers,' and 'When you ask about work, they tell you to figure it out and solve it on your own.'"
He added, "I still hear his voice saying, 'My self-esteem is lowering and I feel engulfed by depression,' and 'I have bad thoughts.' I advised him to get a hospital diagnosis, prescription, and take a leave of absence. He received the diagnosis and prescription but passed away the day before he was to start his leave."
Meanwhile, the Daejeon City Audit Committee stated, "We will prioritize and strive to complete the investigation into whether Mr. A received unfair orders by November."
※ If you or someone around you is struggling with difficult thoughts such as depression, you can receive 24-hour professional counseling at suicide prevention hotlines ☎1577-0199, Hope Phone ☎129, Life Phone ☎1588-9191, and Youth Phone ☎1388.
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