South KoreaA colleague verbally abuses me. Can I take legal action?
Yes, you may take legal action for verbal abuse in South Korea under the Act on Prevention of Domestic Violence and Protection of Victims, or the Criminal Act if the abuse involves threats, defamation, or insult.
What the Law Says
Verbal abuse may violate several Korean criminal and protective laws, depending on severity, relationship, and context. Workplace colleagues are generally not covered by domestic violence laws unless they share a household or intimate relationship — but criminal provisions still apply.
Under the Criminal Act, publicly insulting someone without factual basis is punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment or a fine of up to 2 million KRW (approx. USD 1,500). This applies regardless of workplace relationship.
Making threats — such as saying 'I’ll ruin you' with intent to cause fear — is a crime under Article 307 of the Criminal Act, punishable by up to 7 years’ imprisonment.
If the verbal abuse occurs repeatedly and causes severe emotional distress, it may qualify as 'psychological abuse' under the Act on Prevention of Domestic Violence and Protection of Victims — but only if the abuser is a spouse, cohabitant, former partner, or family member. Colleagues typically do not fall under this law’s scope.
Employers also have obligations under the Equal Employment Opportunity and Work-Family Balance Assistance Act to prevent workplace harassment, including verbal abuse that creates a hostile work environment.
Statutory TextAny person who insults another shall be punished by imprisonment with labor for not more than one year or by a fine not exceeding two million won.
— Criminal Act, s. 311 — Insult
Statutory TextAny person who threatens another with harm to life, body, freedom, honor or property shall be punished by imprisonment with labor for not more than seven years or by a fine not exceeding fifteen million won.
— Criminal Act, s. 307 — Threat
Statutory TextThe purpose of this Act is to prevent domestic violence and protect victims thereof by prescribing matters concerning prevention, protection, and support for victims of domestic violence.
— Act on Prevention of Domestic Violence and Protection of Victims, s. 1 — Purpose
What to Do
Document each incident: note date, time, witnesses, exact words, and impact.
Report to your employer’s HR department — they must investigate under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act.
File a criminal complaint at a local police station for insult (s. 311) or threat (s. 307) if applicable.
Apply for a protection order through family court only if the abuser qualifies as a domestic relation under the Domestic Violence Act.
Consult a Korean-licensed attorney or contact the Korea Legal Aid Center for free legal counseling (132).
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.