"Increasing CCTV Surveillance of Employees" Employee Whistleblowing
"Not for Employee Surveillance" Kang Hyung-wook's Controversy Rebuttal
Employee Surveillance Using CCTV Is Workplace Harassment
Dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook (39), CEO of Bodeum Company, has been accused of abusing his power over employees, and now there are claims that Kang and his wife installed closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to monitor staff. Installing CCTV in the office for employee surveillance may violate the Labor Standards Act and the Personal Information Protection Act.
Recently, A, who identified themselves as a former employee of Bodeum Company, claimed through a JTBC report that Kang and his wife excessively interfered by monitoring employees with CCTV. According to A, the office in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, used by Bodeum Company until 2017, had a total of nine CCTV cameras installed, six of which filmed people and the rest filmed monitors. At that time, there were six employees.
A said, "I asked, 'Why is the CCTV only watching our monitors? This is illegal,'" and "Then the director (Kang’s wife) sternly said, 'Where are you bringing up the law? If you talk about the law, I can sue you all for neglect of duty. Even family members don’t talk about the law.'" After Bodeum Company moved offices, the number of CCTV cameras increased to 20. In messages released by A, Kang sent, "Please don’t work lying almost on the chair," and A apologized, saying, "I’m sorry."
Depending on the Purpose of CCTV Installation, It May Constitute Workplace Harassment
Installing CCTV in a company is not illegal. According to Article 25 of the Personal Information Protection Act, CCTV can be installed without employee consent for purposes such as safety management, facility protection, and crime prevention.
However, if used for other purposes, it may violate the Labor Standards Act or the Personal Information Protection Act. In particular, monitoring employees through CCTV can be recognized as workplace harassment under the Labor Standards Act. The Ministry of Employment and Labor’s "Workplace Harassment Prevention and Response Manual," published in April last year, specifies examples of workplace harassment such as "excessive monitoring during work or rest hours" and "excessive monitoring of employees working or resting through CCTV."
As the controversy spreads, the Ministry of Employment and Labor is reportedly closely monitoring the allegations of abuse against Kang and assessing the situation. It appears that Bodeum Company is in the process of closing down. In January, Bodeum Company announced on its website that "due to internal circumstances, the dog training service will be completely terminated as of June 30, 2024." Although no cases related to Kang have been filed yet, if a formal report of workplace harassment is made, the Ministry of Employment and Labor can investigate regardless of the company’s closure.
Meanwhile, on the 24th, Kang addressed the CCTV monitoring controversy on his YouTube channel. He denied that the CCTV was for employee surveillance, stating, "It is necessary to have CCTV to verify facts because thefts can occur, outsiders can enter, or unexpected incidents such as dogs biting trainers can happen." He added, "However, at that time, employees were unhappy because CCTV was being installed where there had been none before."
Regarding the message telling employees not to lie down on chairs, Kang’s wife explained, "I thought it was appropriate to speak up about such work attitudes in a space for counseling and education." She also acknowledged that a particular employee had complained about the CCTV, saying, "I asked a lawyer and was told that installing CCTV is not illegal, but I remember losing my temper because the employee repeatedly raised complaints."
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