If you are facing harassment at work in Korea, write a factual timeline, preserve relevant records you are entitled to keep, and identify the employer's reporting contact. Ask for a clear investigation and any immediate protection you need. You do not need to decide the final legal classification before asking for advice.
Checked October 18, 2026. The statutory workplace-harassment route generally applies to workplaces ordinarily employing at least five workers, as explained in MOEL's July 22, 2024 consultation guidance. Ask MOEL to check the workforce count and your employee status if either is uncertain, and ask which other route is available if these provisions do not apply.
Describe conduct, context, and impact
Article 76-2 defines workplace harassment through abuse of a superior position or relationship, conduct beyond the appropriate scope of work, and resulting physical or mental suffering or a worsened work environment. A disagreement alone does not decide the legal classification. Start with what happened: record the date, place or communication channel, people involved, conduct or words you recall, witnesses, and its effect on your work or health. Mark uncertain recollections as uncertain.
Preserve relevant messages with dates and surrounding context. Keep original files separate from your working summary. Do not alter screenshots to strengthen a point, collect unrelated customer data, or take confidential company files merely because you are preparing a complaint. Ask a qualified adviser before recording conversations or handling material whose lawful use is unclear.
Use a report that requests a response
Labor Standards Act Article 76-3, in the version effective October 8, 2026, permits reporting known workplace-harassment facts to the employer and requires an objective investigation without delay when the employer receives a report or becomes aware of the conduct. It also addresses protection, follow-up measures, confidentiality, and adverse treatment of reporters and affected workers.
Send the report through the designated private channel. Identify the incidents, attach an organized evidence list, name the protection you need, and request acknowledgment. Keep a copy and the date sent.
I am reporting the incidents summarized below and requesting an objective investigation. Please acknowledge receipt, identify the responsible investigator and next steps, and discuss [requested protection] with me. Please contact me privately about any additional information required.
Suitable questions include who will interview you, how an interpreter or reliable translation can be arranged, how evidence will be provided, and how progress will be communicated. Do not assume every requested measure is automatically required in your particular case.
If the owner or senior manager is involved
Tell the adviser exactly who the reported person is and who controls the proposed investigation. MOEL's July 2, 2026 manual revision announcement specifically addresses fairer handling when the employer is the alleged actor. The July 2026 prevention and response manual was posted on July 29. Those are useful current references when questioning an investigation's independence.
Prepare for a labor-office consultation
If the company does not respond, refuses to investigate, or takes action you believe is retaliatory, contact MOEL through its official Labor Portal or counseling service. Prepare the legal employer's name and address, your work arrangement, the incident timeline, report and response, and any later change in duties or treatment.
Explain whether you need help with the original conduct, the employer's response, or both. Ask which office has jurisdiction and what submission method is available to you. If there is immediate danger or urgent medical need, address that first instead of waiting for an HR process.
Legal text and official guidance checked October 18, 2026. The statute's effective date and the manual's publication date are different; neither date is the date of your complaint.
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