50s Factory Manager Caught Sexually Harassing Illegal Female Foreign Workers in Their 20s

14th JTBC 'Sageon Banjang' Report
Male Perpetrator Still Employed at the Company

On the 14th, JTBC's 'Sageon Banjang' reported that a factory manager at a domestic small and medium-sized enterprise habitually sexually harassed foreign female workers who were illegal immigrants.

The incident was revealed thanks to a whistleblower who requested anonymity. The footage submitted showed scenes of sexual harassment committed by a male factory manager from May to October 2022. The factory manager, in his 50s, habitually sexually harassed female employees, whose ages ranged from their 20s to 50s. Among them, the youngest and an illegal immigrant Vietnamese woman was reportedly the main target.

JTBC's "Incident Commander" reported allegations that a small and medium-sized enterprise factory manager habitually sexually harassed a foreign female worker.
[Image source=JTBC]

The whistleblower, unable to stand by after months of ongoing harassment, installed a camera with the victims' consent. In the video, the factory manager is seen hugging female employees from behind or tapping their buttocks. Other employees also harassed by hugging or putting their arms around the victims' necks and shoulders. Although the female workers showed signs of discomfort and pushed the factory manager away, it was ineffective. The harassment continued unabated even in public areas. Although there were CCTVs inside the factory, the factory manager reportedly assigned the Vietnamese employee to a blind spot to carry out work.

The victims hesitated to report the sexual harassment because they were illegal immigrants. The whistleblower said, "I reported it to the company instead of the police because I was worried that the victims might suffer secondary damage such as deportation or dismissal." This report was made after the victims had returned to their home countries.

The company only imposed a three-month pay cut on the male perpetrator. It is known that the perpetrator is still employed at the company. The company explained, "The (then factory manager) wrote in the statement that he patted and hugged the victims as a form of encouragement," and added, "The female victims said, 'There was some touching, but it was just playful,' so the company could not impose a strict punishment unconditionally and compromised on the disciplinary action."