"More CCTV Than People... Made It Impossible to Breathe," Former Employee of Kang Hyung-wook's Company Reveals

Multiple Whistleblowers from Bodeum Company Employees
Company Has 6 Employees, 9 CCTV Cameras
Constant Monitoring via Monitors and Internal Messengers
"Mr. Kang and His Wife Engage in Power Abuse and Verbal Abuse"

Amid a series of allegations related to dog trainer Kang Hyeong-wook, a former employee of Bodeum Company, where Kang serves as CEO, claimed that Kang frequently used closed-circuit television (CCTV) to monitor employees and even checked their personal messages.

Dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook.
Photo by Bodeum Company Instagram

On the 21st, JTBC's 'Sageon Banjang' reported on information provided by a former employee, A. A revealed CCTV footage from the office in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, which Bodeum Company used until 2017. Although there were six employees working in the office, there were nine cameras installed. Among these, three cameras were filming the employees' monitors.

When A realized that three CCTVs were watching employees' monitors and protested, saying, "Watching employees' monitors via CCTV is illegal," B, Kang's wife and director of Bodeum Company, sharply responded, "Where are you bringing up the law? If you talk about the law, I can sue you all for neglect of duty. Even among family, you don't bring up the law."

Surveillance cameras inside Bodeum Company outnumber people.
[Photo by JTBC 'Sageonbanjang']

After the office was relocated, the number of CCTVs increased to 20, but employees claimed that there was no proper notification or consent process. Kang and his wife monitored employees' work attitudes through CCTV and even advised A, saying, "Don't work while almost lying on the chair." A bowed his head and replied, "Yes, I'm sorry."

Kang Couple Accessed Employee Messengers... Forced Signing of 'Consent Forms'

Consent form regarding the use of the in-house messenger program during working hours.
[Photo by JTBC 'Sageonbanjang' capture]

Furthermore, Kang and his wife used paid messenger features to read employees' conversations and obtained consent forms agreeing not to engage in non-work-related chats. The consent form included unfair clauses such as: ▲Agreeing that Bodeum Company can review information sent and received through the company's internal network ▲Acknowledging that engaging in non-work-related conversations during work hours via the internal messenger program may result in disciplinary action according to company rules. Employees also added that signing the consent form was forced.

B sent a message to employees stating, "I confirmed that during work hours, there were continuous messages unrelated to work, including very provocative content and mockery towards colleagues written by those who worked together here, to the extent that it made me question whether this is truly a normal workplace."

"Kang Couple Engaged in Power Abuse and Verbal Abuse... Even Set Bathroom Usage Times"

A former employee of Bodeum Company who revealed that the Kang couple set specific bathroom usage times,
[Photo by JTBC 'Case Manager' capture]

Additionally, former employee C revealed that Kang and his wife frequently engaged in power abuse and verbal abuse. In an interview with JTBC, B said, "(Kang) told us not to even breathe. He said, 'It's a waste for you to breathe. You're worse than bugs, just crawl away. Just die.' These were daily remarks." She also claimed, "Throwing dog leashes was common, and when angry, he would just throw whatever object was in his hand."

When the company bathroom frequently broke down, employees were advised to use a caf? restroom 10 minutes away by car. There were also allegations that bathroom usage times were designated. Former employee D said, "Around 3 p.m., we were instructed to 'go to the bathroom.' They said, 'I hope you go to the caf? all at once. Don't go anywhere else.' They never explained why." D added, "Among employees, there were comments like 'It feels like potty training,' and 'It doesn't feel like we're being treated as humans.'" He continued, "Kang Hyeong-wook proudly said, 'I make money by helping XX (a derogatory term for people who behave poorly).'" He criticized, "Kang's wife was pleased, saying, 'We can keep charging a high price.'"

Currently, Kang has not made any statement regarding this controversy.