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The recent incident of extreme choice by a firefighter that occurred at the Gwangju Fire Department headquarters caused a great shock to our society. According to the claims of the bereaved family and the firefighters' union, the deceased suffered from deep mental pain during his lifetime due to excessive drinking and company culture and unfair abuse of power by his superiors. In particular, the fact that the organization ignored the request of the bereaved families to meet with the headquarters to find out the truth clearly shows the rigidity of the closed public service society. Ultimately, the fact that the National Fire Agency launched a direct inspection and the union took to the streets to announce a rally proves how dangerous an organization that has lost its ability to self-purify can be. This incident goes beyond the simple death of an individual and raises painful questions about the lack of human rights sensitivity within firefighting organizations that save lives.

On the other hand, legal discussions about what the standards for workplace bullying should be are becoming more detailed. Recently, in a case where the refusal of annual leave was reported as workplace harassment, the court ruled that the manager's actions were within the 'appropriate scope of work' considering the special characteristics of small businesses. This suggests that objective standards such as business operation efficiency and managers' discretion, rather than unconditional emotional appeals, are important factors in judicial judgment. However, even though the court recognized the manager's discretion, it warned that inappropriate words or emotional responses that occurred during the process could still become a spark for potential harassment. In other words, apart from securing legal legitimacy, managers must keep in mind that they have a responsibility to minimize misunderstandings that may arise during communication with members.

In the midst of this, the introduction of the ‘Safe Counseling and Reporting by Labor Attorneys’ system by the Ministry of Government Legislation, a government agency, is a very timely and encouraging move. Even though there is an internal reporting system, this is a measure that accurately understands the reality of employees who are unable to disclose their grievances for fear of identity exposure or retaliation. It is highly commendable that by thoroughly guaranteeing anonymity and confidentiality through an external expert, a certified labor attorney, we have overcome the closedness within the organization and established an independent advice channel. This provides comprehensive support, from training to prevent bullying to guidance on relief procedures in the event of damage, and is expected to serve as a positive shield that instills healthy tension within the organization. Ultimately, a healthy organizational culture begins with an environment where members can voice their voices without fear of disadvantage.

Meanwhile, the violence and harassment that has spread beyond organizations and throughout our society is becoming more brutal. Recent incidents of group bullying and sexual crimes among teenagers have shocked us, proving that dramas such as 'The Glory' are not fiction that is far from reality. The violence that started for the trivial reason of “gossiping” led to collective abuse and sexual crimes, which left psychological and physical wounds that were difficult to heal on the victims. The reason the appellate court could not help but deplore the defendants' statements of remorse is because the crimes they committed fundamentally destroyed human dignity. If abuse of power in the workplace is caused by the power structure of an organization, then this youth violence is a terrible proof of how barren the ethical soil of our society has become.