SEOUL — A recent survey has revealed that three out of every ten workers in South Korea have faced workplace harassment in the past year, with an alarming increase in the number contemplating suicide.
According to Yonhap News Agency, 30.5 percent reported experiencing workplace harassment, a slight increase from 30.1 percent in a similar survey carried out in the first quarter of the previous year. The study, commissioned by the pro-labor group Gabjil 119, also found that the percentage of those considering suicide as a result of workplace harassment rose to 15.6 percent this year, up from 10.6 percent in the prior year's findings.
The survey highlighted that the age group most affected included workers in their 30s, with 26 percent reporting suicidal thoughts, compared to 22.4 percent in their 20s. Nearly half of the respondents, 46.6 percent, described the level of bullying they experienced as "serious."
When it comes to the nature of the harassment faced, insults and defamation ranked highest at 17.5 percent, closely followed by unreasonable orders at 17.3 percent, tasks assigned outside of work hours at 16.5 percent, and physical violence and verbal abuse at 15.5 percent. Despite these challenges, a majority of those who experienced harassment, 57.7 percent, chose to endure or ignore the behavior, with 47.1 percent expressing skepticism that taking action would lead to any improvement in their situation.
This survey sheds light on the pervasive issue of workplace harassment in South Korea and the severe impact it has on employees' mental health and wellbeing, prompting a need for more effective interventions and support systems to address and mitigate such behaviors.