Labor Authorities Investigate Allegations at Major Gangnam Dental Clinic
Current and Former Employees Make Further Revelations
"Overtime and Harassment Were Routine"
The labor authorities have launched a labor inspection into a large dental clinic in Gangnam that sparked controversy after ordering an employee who resigned just two days after joining to pay 1.8 million won in damages. The clinic is facing not only allegations of pre-arranged penalty clauses but also accusations of workplace harassment. Employees at the clinic testified that the head dentist used profanity in group chat rooms, forced staff to stand facing the wall as a form of discipline, and made them write out their mistakes in dense lines on A4 paper, a punishment known as "baekbaegi."
According to labor circles on the 23rd, the Gangnam Branch of the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office sent labor inspectors to the clinic on the 20th to investigate the so-called "pre-arranged penalty" allegations. A pre-arranged penalty refers to setting a predetermined amount of compensation if a worker breaches their employment contract, which is prohibited under Article 20 of the Labor Standards Act. The clinic has been accused of requiring new hires to agree to pay half a month's salary in damages if they do not give one month's notice before resigning.
Allegations of Standing Discipline and Written Reflections
Employees who worked at the clinic told Yonhap News Agency that not only were there pre-arranged penalty clauses, but illegal overtime and harassment were also commonplace. They claimed that the head dentist used profanity in group chats, forced staff to stand facing the wall for hours as punishment, and required them to write detailed reflections of their mistakes on A4 paper as a disciplinary measure.
Employee A told Yonhap, "If we finished work at 11 p.m. the previous night, the head dentist would call us in and make us stand facing the wall for three hours, saying he was upset that we finished early." A also said, "I was made to write five to six sheets of 'baekbaegi,' filling each A4 page with 60 lines of my mistakes." Another former employee, B, said, "I saw the head dentist's desk drawer filled with these 'baekbaegi' sheets."
B added, "Even in the early morning, we were ordered to handle patient complaints or organize consultation records, and if we didn't reply, we were cursed at." Another former employee, C, stated, "There were times when staff were called in late at night, and the head dentist would shout at us, creating an atmosphere of fear."
Even on the day before the labor inspection, the head dentist reportedly forced employees to sign a confirmation stating that "overtime may exceed the weekly 12-hour limit set by the Labor Standards Act or that break times may be changed." As a result, it has been found that more than 500 employees have resigned from the clinic since 2022.
Ministry of Employment and Labor Launches Special Inspection from the 24th... Seven Inspectors Assigned
During the Ministry of Employment and Labor's inspection, anonymous reports were also received regarding issues beyond the pre-arranged penalty clause. The ministry stated that labor inspectors confirmed allegations of workplace harassment, including verbal abuse and assault, through additional investigation. As a result, the ministry will switch to a special inspection starting on the 24th. A team of seven inspectors will be formed to thoroughly examine whether there have been any violations of labor-related laws.
Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon emphasized, "Pre-arranged penalty contracts undermine fair opportunities for job seekers from the very start of their entry into the labor market, and must never be justified," adding, "We will conduct a thorough investigation into all alleged legal violations, including those reported by whistleblowers."
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