64. According to the Fact-finding Research on the Secondary Damage of Sexual
Harassment conducted by the NHRCK in 2015, 40.2% (181 people) of the total
respondents (450 workers) answered they “would not raise the issue” when
asked whether they would raise an issue if they experience sexual harassment.
For the reasons (multiple responses allowed), 51% (94 people) chose “fear of
negative rumors about themselves,” followed by 36% (65 people) of “concern
over disadvantage in workplace,” 34% (62 people) of “stress in the process” and
25% (46 people) of “fear of encountering the offender again.” The answers
reflect the reality of victims concerned over secondary damage they would face
when they raise an issue of sexual harassment. Given the result, it is found that
most workplaces lack the system to prevent sexual harassment in the
organization and even though there is a system, it lacks the effectiveness as it
fails to protect victims properly.
65. Even though there has been a progress such as the reinforcement of employer’s
responsibility for sexual harassment in workplace through the revision of the
Equal Employment Opportunity and Work-Family Balance Assistance Act at the
National Assembly on November 9th 2017, a stronger role of the ministry in
charge is required in order to enhance the effectiveness of prevention and
remedy of sexual harassment in workplace. In August 2016, the NHRCK
recommended the Minister of Employment and Labor to △ specify a provision
which prohibits disadvantage to sexual harassment victims in workplace in the
Equal Employment Opportunity and Work-Family Balance Assistance Act, △
oblige workplaces with more than a certain number of employees to establish
procedures for prevention and remedy of damage from sexual harassment, △
strengthen professional training on the staff in charge of handling sexual
harassment complaints, △ develop and distribute a detailed manual to handle
the issue. However, △ to oblige workplaces with more than a certain number of
employees to establish procedures for prevention and remedy of damage from
sexual harassment has not been carried out.
66. The Measures to Eradicate Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence released by
the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Gender Equality and