Reporting workplace harassment
Workplace harassment is prohibited by law. Enduring it is not the answer.
What counts as harassment
- Abuse, insults, degrading remarks
- Mockery based on nationality or origin
- Withholding work without reason, or giving only you the hardest tasks
- Exclusion, being ignored, being cut out of conversation
- Being forced to run personal errands
- Unreasonably blocking leave or toilet use
- Assault or threats (these are also separate crimes)
Steps
- Keep records — date, time, place, what happened, witnesses. Write something short every day.
- Gather evidence — messages, recordings of conversations you took part in, photos.
- Report to the company. The employer has a duty to investigate and act.
- If the company does nothing, report to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, 1350.
- If there is assault or threats, report to the police, 112.
- If it is affecting your health, get counselling — 1577-0199, 109.
What you need
- Dated records
- Messages, recordings, photos
- Witness names
- Labour contract
Where to go
- 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labor (harassment reports)
- 112 assault and threats
- 1577-1366 Danuri Helpline (13 languages, 24 hours)
- 1577-0199 mental health counselling · 109 crisis line
- Your local support centre for foreign workers
- 132 Korea Legal Aid Corporation
Questions people ask
Won't I be fired for reporting? Dismissal or disadvantage for reporting is illegal. If it happens, report that too.
The boss is the one harassing me. If you cannot report internally, you can go straight to 1350.
Reporting is hard because of the language. Ask a support centre to accompany you. 1577-1366 counsels in 13 languages, 24 hours.
I have no evidence. Start recording today. Your own detailed record is itself evidence.
Take care
Sustained harassment breaks your health before anything else. If you cannot sleep and dread going to work, that is already a health problem. Call 1577-0199 or 109. Do not endure it alone.
Related
sexual-harassment-work · discrimination-report · forced-labor · call-1577-0199
Source
Ministry of Employment and Labor www.moel.go.kr / As of 2026-08