Private School Whistleblower Retaliation Staff Ordered to Pay 20 Million Won in Damages

After Reporting Allegations of Former Chairman's Academic Interference, Dismissal and Suspension Disciplinary Actions Taken
Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Confirms Structural Payments to 8 Whistleblowers

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] A court ruling ordered compensation of 20 million KRW to a school staff member who was dismissed and severely disciplined after reporting allegations of academic interference by a former chairman of the school foundation to the education office.

On the 26th, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, staff member A of Uchon Elementary School partially won a lawsuit filed against Ilgwang Academy, the school foundation operating the school, at the Seoul Northern District Court, seeking confirmation of invalid dismissal and compensation for damages.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education stated, "The court ruled that suspension, dismissal, personnel reassignment, and termination due to whistleblowing were all illegal, ordering a total of 20 million KRW in damages, 5 million KRW each, to be paid to the staff member," adding, "We highly welcome this ruling as it strongly guarantees the duties of public officials, including private school foundations."

Six staff members of the school were disciplined with dismissal and suspension after reporting allegations of improper academic interference by the former chairman in 2019.

In October of the same year, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education conducted a complaint audit and issued a 'institutional warning' holding the school foundation responsible for unfairly disciplining the six whistleblowers. At that time, the school foundation canceled the disciplinary actions but repeatedly imposed retaliatory punishments against the whistleblowers. Five of them are still unable to work at the school. Staff member A repeatedly faced personnel actions such as suspension, dismissal, reassignment, and termination from June 2019 to April last year and filed a lawsuit for damages in July last year.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education confirmed it will provide a total of 109.17 million KRW in relief funds to eight whistleblowers, including staff member A. The relief fund is a system where public institutions support whistleblowers who suffered unfair personnel actions after reporting, covering lost wages and legal support fees.

Lee Minjong, Auditor of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, said, "This is the minimum action the education office can take to protect and support whistleblowers," and added, "We plan to hold institutions and managers who retaliate unfairly against whistleblowers fully accountable."

Meanwhile, a lawsuit is ongoing against the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, filed by the school foundation, seeking cancellation of the revocation of approval for executive appointments. After complaints were received that the former chairman and executives forced curriculum operations against the wishes of principals and staff, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education revoked the approval for executive appointments in August 2020. The education office won in the first trial, and the second trial is currently underway.