Yangyang County official sentenced to prison for abusing sanitation workers

A former 7th-grade driving official from Yangyang County, Gangwon Province, has received a final prison sentence of 1 year and 8 months for severe workplace harassment and abuse of power against sanitation workers.

Between July and November 2023, the individual subjected three sanitation workers in their 20s to various forms of physical and psychological abuse. The charges included coercion, habitual intimidation, habitual assault, and insult. According to court records, the perpetrator engaged in a “martial law game,” declaring a state of emergency to manipulate stock prices and forcing victims to wear red underwear to supposedly boost market performance. The official also coerced victims into purchasing specific stocks and forced them to participate in “mungseok-mari,” a practice where one victim is forced to lie on the ground while others step on them.

Other abusive behaviors included intentionally parking collection vehicles far away to force workers to run, throwing cigarette butts, and firing airsoft guns at the victims. While the defendant admitted to the charges and sought leniency, the victims refused to settle, citing severe psychological distress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both the prosecution and the defense appealed the initial sentence, but the appellate court dismissed both appeals, finalizing the 20-month prison term.