Responding to sexual harassment at work
Sexual harassment at work is prohibited by law, and it is not your fault. You do not have to endure it.
What counts
- Unwanted physical contact
- Sexual jokes, remarks or questions
- Comments about your appearance or body
- Showing or sending sexual images or videos
- Demanding dates or sex while making your job, contract renewal or dormitory conditional on it
- Penalising you for refusing
"It was a joke" and "it's our culture" are not justifications.
What you can do now
- Refuse clearly. If that is not possible, you do not have to. Not being able to refuse is not your fault.
- Write it down — date, time, place, what happened, witnesses.
- Gather evidence — messages, photos, recordings of conversations you took part in.
- Get advice — 1577-1366 (13 languages, 24 hours), 1366 women's emergency line.
- Report — to the company and to 1350.
- Physical contact or coercion is a crime. Report it to 112.
- Get medical and legal support at a Sunflower Center (integrated support after sexual violence).
What you need
- Dated records
- Messages, photos, recordings
- Witnesses
- Medical records, if any
Where to go
- 1577-1366 Danuri Helpline (migrant women, 13 languages, 24 hours)
- 1366 women's emergency line (area code + 1366)
- 112 to report a crime
- 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labor
- Sunflower Center — medical, investigative and legal support in one place
- 132 Korea Legal Aid Corporation
Questions people ask
I'm afraid of losing my job. Dismissal or disadvantage for reporting is illegal. The employer has a duty to investigate and protect you.
My visa status depends on my employer. Exploiting that is itself part of the abuse. Tell the support centre and 1577-1366 about that too.
Time has passed. Get advice now anyway. With records kept, it is often not too late.
Does this apply to men? It applies regardless of gender. Male victims can also report to 1350 and 112.
Take care
Do not decide alone. Do not meet the perpetrator privately to settle it. 1577-1366 connects 24 hours in 13 languages. You can call right now.
Related
workplace-harassment · discrimination-report · call-1366 · danuri-helpline
Source
Ministry of Employment and Labor www.moel.go.kr / Ministry of Gender Equality and Family www.mogef.go.kr / As of 2026-08