A recent survey conducted by the non-governmental organization Workplace Gapjil 119 has unveiled alarming statistics, indicating that 15.3 percent of South Korean workers have experienced direct physical or verbal abuse in their workplace.

The Korea Herald released an article highlighting the details of the survey results that underscore the persistent and concerning issue of workplace harassment in the country.

The Korea Herald reported, "Non-governmental organization Workplace Gapjil 119 surveyed 1,000 employed individuals across the country, asking if they have been subject to abuse. About 14.8 percent of office workers; 17.2 percent of those in manual labor; and 15.2 percent of those in service industries said they have been subject to some sort of physical or verbal violence while working."

According to Gapjil 119, they documented 516 instances of workplace abuse from January to November, with 65 cases involving the direct use of physical force. These incidents ranged from physical assault, such as being hit or having objects thrown, to acts of retaliation against victims who reported the abuse to authorities.

The Korean term "Gapjil" denotes a situation where an individual exploits their superior position to harass or take advantage of someone in an inferior position, most commonly observed in instances of workplace harassment.

A prior survey conducted by the same organization in July revealed that 33.3 percent of South Korean workers have encountered some form of abuse in their careers. Verbal abuse was the most prevalent, affecting 22.2 percent, followed by inappropriate commands at 17.2 percent.

One reported case involved an employee being forced to kneel for 20 minutes as a penalty for failing to answer a CEO's question.

Gapjil 119 emphasized the importance of promptly reporting workplace assaults to the police to secure necessary evidence and ensure the perpetrators face appropriate consequences. Victims were encouraged to file charges with the relevant branches of the Labor Ministry for violations of the Labor Standard Act.