Labor Case Specialist Lawyer Park Hoon
"CCTV Destroys Human Dignity"
Possibility of Escalation to Court Dispute
Park Hyeong-wook, the CEO of Bodeum Company and a dog trainer accused of repeatedly monitoring employees with closed-circuit television (CCTV) and using abusive language, explained that "the CCTV was installed not for surveillance but as a theft prevention measure." Meanwhile, labor law expert lawyer Park Hoon has stepped forward to offer free legal representation to all former employees.
On the 25th, Lawyer Park posted on social media (SNS), "I was so outraged after watching the interview of the couple Kang Hyeong-wook, who claims that the CCTV was not for surveillance, that I am making this offer." He added, "I will represent everything free of charge and will not accept any success fees. If anyone who was employed by the Kang couple feels wronged, please contact me via comments or messenger." He also noted, "However, there must be no falsehoods, and you must endure my rigorous cross-examination."
The reason for Lawyer Park's anger is his belief that "having CCTV monitor the workplace is a violation of human dignity." He has held this view for a long time. In 2001, he was the first in South Korea to raise the illegality of CCTV surveillance through litigation, although he lost the case at that time.
On the 24th, CEO Kang explained on his YouTube channel regarding the CCTV surveillance controversy, "The CCTV was not intended for employee monitoring," adding, "Since thefts could occur, outsiders could enter, and dogs might bite trainers, it was necessary to have CCTV to verify facts." He also explained, "At that time, employees were dissatisfied because CCTV was being installed in places where there had been none before."
Despite Kang’s explanation, former employees continue to refute his claims, and with labor law expert Lawyer Park offering free legal representation, the dispute may escalate into a court battle.
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 CCTV is used to monitor employees, it can be recognized as workplace harassment under the Labor Standards Act. The 'Workplace Harassment Prevention and Response Manual' published by the Ministry of Employment and Labor in April last year specifies examples of workplace harassment, including "excessive monitoring during working or rest hours" and "excessive monitoring of employees working or resting through CCTV."
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