"An Extreme Case of Workplace Bullying" The First Job More Horrible Than Death

Repeated Habitual Verbal Abuse with Personal Insults
Sentenced to 2 Years and 6 Months Imprisonment, Taken into Custody

About a year ago, Jeon Young-jin, who ended his life at the age of 25, suffered unimaginable verbal abuse and pressure every day from his workplace superior, Mr. A (41), to the extent that the judge reviewing the case records described it as an 'extreme case' of workplace harassment.

According to his family, the automobile parts company in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, where Young-jin worked, was a small company with fewer than five employees. It was Young-jin's first job, and Mr. A, who had about 20 years of experience, was his first workplace superior.

Young-ho, the older brother who questioned the sudden death of his younger brother without a suicide note, opened his phone hoping to find a voice message left behind. On the phone was a recording explaining why Young-jin had no choice but to end his life.

There were a total of 86 recorded calls on Young-jin’s phone. Considering his employment period, it is presumed that there was more harassment, but based on the call recordings and some closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, the offenses that could be uncovered were four instances of hitting the head with a fist, sixteen instances of threats, and eighty-six violations of the Information and Communications Network Act.

More than 700 calls not included in the indictment were also filled with insulting content.

The superior’s verbal abuse, filled with profanity from beginning to end, continued without a single day off. The verbal abuse never ceased and even mentioned Young-jin’s parents.

Mr. A, who was tried without detention, expressed his apology to Young-jin and his family in court. He pleaded for leniency, citing his chronic kidney disease and ongoing hemodialysis treatment.

Judge Jang Tae-young of the Chuncheon District Court Sokcho Branch Criminal Division 1, who presided over the first trial, pointed out, "The defendant, as a workplace superior, was responsible for teaching the victim’s work and repeatedly assaulted the victim several times, and over about two months, repeatedly subjected the victim to verbal abuse and threats dozens of times."

He continued, "The victim suffered from the defendant’s extreme verbal abuse and pressure almost every day. Just a few days after each offense by the defendant, the victim made an extreme choice and ended his life at a young age," adding, "It can only be concluded that each offense by the defendant was a significant factor in the victim’s extreme choice."

Judge Jang stated, "The mental pain, fear, and stress experienced by the victim, who could find no way out and ultimately had no choice but to choose death, are beyond measure," and added, "This case shows an extreme example of workplace harassment or workplace power abuse."

Regarding Mr. A’s claim that the actions were under the pretext of 'discipline and guidance,' the judge dismissed it, saying, "The assaults and verbal abuse inflicted by the defendant on the victim at the workplace destroyed the victim’s basic human rights and self-esteem, and cannot be justified by any excuse," and noted, "The victim appeared very intimidated in the CCTV footage and could not even raise his head in front of the defendant."

Judge Jang sentenced Mr. A to two years and six months in prison and ordered his immediate detention in court. Mr. A alone appealed the case, and the first appeal trial will be held on the 30th at the Chuncheon District Court Gangneung Branch.

The bereaved family has appointed labor attorney Park Hye-young as their representative and is preparing to apply for industrial accident recognition. They have also recently filed a civil lawsuit for damages against Mr. A and the company’s representative.