"Unauthorized Message Reading" Couple Kang Hyung-wook Sued by Former Employees

4-Week Hiatus for 'Gaehullyung': "Broadcast Resumes Next Week Without Kang Hyung-wook"

Dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook (39) and his wife, who were embroiled in a ‘gapjil controversy,’ have been sued by former employees of their company, Bodeum Company. They are accused of violating the Information and Communications Network Act by opening six months’ worth of company messenger data and disclosing some of it in the company group chat.

On the 11th, Yonhap News reported that two former employees of Bodeum Company sent a complaint against CEO Kang and his wife to the Namyangju Southern Police Station in Gyeonggi Province by mail, accusing them of violating the Information and Communications Network Act.

Kang Hyung-wook, CEO of Bodeum Company (right), and his wife, Director Susan Elder. [Photo source=Captured from Kang Hyung-wook's YouTube channel 'Kang Hyung-wook's Bodeum TV']

They are known to be employees who posted reviews about Kang Hyung-wook’s workplace gapjil on a job platform. The complaint states that the Kang couple accessed company employees’ messenger contents without permission.

In the complaint, they stated, “On July 21, 2018, the Kang couple opened six months’ worth of company messenger data and disclosed some of the contents in the company group messenger ‘Bodeum All Chat,’ which includes 20 executives and employees,” adding, “They continuously referred to conversations between employees in the messenger as a means of pressure and control.”

They emphasized that the reading of employees’ messenger conversations lacked ▲legitimacy or urgency of purpose ▲prior consent ▲appropriateness of means or methods. Additionally, 331 citizens gathered online expressed their support for the purpose of the former employees’ complaint against Bodeum Company.

Although the Kang couple’s CCTV surveillance also raises concerns about violations of the Personal Information Protection Act, it is reported that the statute of limitations has expired.

Kang Hyung-wook, CEO of Bodeum Company, appeared on his YouTube channel 'Kang Hyung-wook Bodeum TV' on the 24th to address the controversy regarding employee mistreatment.
[Photo source=YouTube capture]

Earlier, on the 24th of last month, CEO Kang and director Susan Elder posted an explanatory video on their YouTube channel ‘Kang Hyung-wook Bodeum TV,’ admitting that they had viewed employees’ messenger conversations. The couple explained, “(Among the employees’ conversations) there was the name of our son. It was mockery of our newborn son, who was only 6 to 7 months old,” adding, “We were blinded and felt guilty in our conscience but could not let go.”

Cast of KBS entertainment program 'Dogs Are Incredible.' Animal trainer Kang Hyung-wook (left), broadcaster Lee Kyung-kyu. [Photo by KBS]

Since allegations of workplace gapjil were raised on the job platform Job Planet last month, the Kang couple has ceased all public activities. The KBS variety show featuring Kang has been canceled for four consecutive weeks. KBS stated on the day, “The broadcast of ‘The Dog Is Incredible’ is scheduled to resume next week,” adding, “Filming and editing will proceed excluding Kang Hyung-wook, who is at the center of the controversy.”