Korea enacted workplace harassment laws in 2019. These protect all workers including foreigners.

📋 Definition

Under the Labor Standards Act: using position or relationship to cause physical/mental suffering or worsen the work environment beyond work scope.

🚩 Examples

• Verbal abuse, threats, insults
• Exclusion from meetings or projects
• Unreasonable workload or no work
• Spreading rumors or personal info
• Physical violence or sexual harassment
• Forcing personal errands

🏢 Employer Obligations

• 10+ employee companies: anti-harassment rules required
• Investigate promptly upon report
• Protect the victim
• No retaliation against reporter

📞 How to Report

• Internal: HR or harassment officer
• External: Regional Labor Office
• 1350 (labor) or 1345 (foreign workers, multilingual)

⚖️ Penalties

• Employer harasser: fine ≤10M KRW
• Retaliation: prison ≤3 years or fine ≤30M KRW
• No protection: fine ≤5M KRW

🌍 Foreign Workers

Applies regardless of nationality or visa status. Even undocumented workers have labor rights.

🔗 Resources

• MOEL
• Foreign Workers: 1644-0644
• Seoul Global Center: 02-2075-4180