Protection for people who report

Fear of reprisal is the commonest reason people don't report. Protections exist.

Reports that are protected

• Unpaid wages and working-condition breaches — Ministry of Employment and Labour.
• Occupational safety breaches — KOSHA.
• Workplace bullying and sexual harassment — internally and to the Ministry.
• Public interest disclosures — to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.
• Discrimination — to the National Human Rights Commission.

Prohibited reprisals

• Dismissal or refusal to renew a contract
• Pay cuts, demotion, unfavourable transfer
• Encouraging ostracism, removing your duties
• Unjustified discipline
• Pressure to leave the dormitory, threats to report your residence status — especially common against foreign workers. See blackmail.

To stay protected

1. Back up evidence to your own device before reporting.
2. Request confidentiality or anonymity — say so clearly when filing.
3. Record the date you reported and what changed afterwards — a sudden change to your rota after reporting is itself evidence.
4. Report again immediately if you suffer disadvantage — the reprisal is a separate violation.
5. Reporting as a group makes you harder to identify and easier to protect.

Where to go

• 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labour (conditions, reprisals)
• 1544-3088 KOSHA (safety reports)
• 1398 Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (whistleblower protection)
• 1331 National Human Rights Commission (discrimination)
• 132 Korea Legal Aid Corporation / 1577-0071 Foreign Workforce Support Centre

Questions people ask

Will reporting affect my residence status? Exercising your rights as a worker is a separate matter. If worried, consult 1345 or a migrant organisation first. See ngo-support.

They threaten to "tell immigration if you report". That threat is itself potentially criminal. Tell 1350 and 112 together. See blackmail.

I was dismissed after reporting. Retaliatory dismissal can be contested as unfair dismissal. Gather a chronological record and consult 1350 and the Labour Relations Commission. See mediation-labor.

Can an anonymous report be investigated? Sometimes, but concrete evidence is what lets an investigation progress. Ask about the options when taking advice.

Take care

Move your evidence onto your own device before reporting. Access to company accounts and systems is often cut afterwards. Back up your contract, payslips, rotas and message records today.

Related

labor-inspector-visit · unpaid-wages-report · unfair-dismissal · workplace-harassment · blackmail

Source

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission www.acrc.go.kr / As of 2026-08