Sexual Misconduct Confirmed, Yet Re-investigation Ordered? "It Was the Chairman's Instruction"

[Anchor]

What should a victim do if an offender, who was placed on standby for workplace sexual harassment, suddenly returns to work? This is what happened at the Korea Battery Industry Association. The association explained that it was "under the instruction of the chairman."

Reporter Bae Sung-jae has the story.

[Reporter]

"Many male employees go to room salons or engage in prostitution. I don't think it matters if they are unmarried."

This is what employee A at the Korea Battery Industry Association heard from a male colleague, B, during a company dinner in June last year.

A female high school contract worker was also present at the gathering.

It is reported that B continued to make inappropriate remarks, including offering alcohol to the high school employee.

[A: He kept saying things that implied the male employees at the association were favorable toward prostitution or room salons. He suddenly started talking about going to a karaoke bar...]

Feeling humiliated, A reported the incident to the company. Both an investigation by an external law firm in December last year and a ruling by the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office in January concluded that the sexual misconduct was substantiated.

The association excluded B from his duties and placed him on standby. However, last week, A received the shocking news that B would be returning to work.

The association informed A that B would return to his duties, citing in part the Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission's decision last month, which partially accepted B's request for relief on the grounds that the association's delay in holding a disciplinary committee was problematic.

The association explained that this measure follows the "Comprehensive Management Diagnosis and Normalization Plan" recently finalized by the new leadership, which states, "Withdraw all re-deliberations on sexual misconduct and verify the facts through internal investigations."

[Association Executive: It wasn't me; the president (chairman) decided it. It means we are going to take another look at the entire (sexual misconduct case).]

[A: When I heard that they were going to re-investigate a case that had already been concluded, I just burst into tears. I couldn't help but think that the only way this would end is if I leave this company.]

[Yoon Ji-young, Representative Lawyer at Workplace Gapjil 119: The Labor Relations Commission's ruling recognized the fact of sexual misconduct itself, so they must impose appropriate disciplinary action and actively listen to the victim's opinions during that process.]

In a phone call with SBS, B stated that he felt unfairly treated by the incident and the subsequent measures. Once SBS began its coverage, the association changed its initial position, stating, "We will maintain the standby status and hold a disciplinary committee for the offender."

Reported by Kim Se-kyung and Kim Han-gyeol | Video by Choi Hye-ran | Graphics by Jegal Chan
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.