Former ADOR chief Min Hee-jin has lost her bid to overturn a government fine tied to workplace harassment.
On the 16th, Judge Jeong Cheol-min of the Seoul Western District Court upheld―via summary proceedings―the administrative penalty imposed by the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office, rejecting Min’s challenge.
The ruling affirms a March decision by labor authorities finding that parts of Min’s remarks constituted workplace harassment under Korea’s Labor Standards Act, leaving the fine intact.
The case began when a former ADOR staffer, identified as “A,” filed a complaint alleging verbal abuse by Min and resulting emotional distress. The complainant also claimed Min shielded the company’s former deputy head, “B,” amid accusations of workplace bullying and sexual harassment, amounting to secondary victimization.
After its probe, the labor office concluded that some of Min’s statements could cause physical and mental distress and deteriorate the work environment―meeting the legal definition of workplace harassment. Authorities also cited a violation of Article 76-3(2) of the Labor Standards Act for improper intervention in the handling of the deputy’s sexual harassment case.
Min’s legal team had argued that labeling certain remarks as workplace harassment reflected a misreading of the law, but the court sided with the government, leaving the sanction in place.
Photo: Baik Seung-Chul
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)