Fired for 'state of emergency game' bullying, accepting 20 million won... 30 corrupt officials caught

A South Korean public official has been dismissed for severe workplace bullying, which included a disturbing practice referred to as a "state of emergency game" against employees he supervised.

The official, a 40-year-old driver in the Yangyang County office in Gangwon Province, subjected three environmental sanitation workers in their 20s to persistent bullying, assault, threats, and humiliation between July and November last year. His abusive actions included throwing lit cigarette butts at the workers and firing BB pellets at them.

In a particularly egregious act, the official forced the sanitation workers to buy stocks he had purchased, threatening to declare a "state of emergency" if the stocks did not reach his desired price. He also reportedly covered them with blankets and assaulted them during these incidents. The highest level of disciplinary action, dismissal, was imposed on the official for habitual assault and workplace bullying.

The incident came to light as part of a special audit by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety into passive administration and public service integrity in local governments for 2025. The audit uncovered other instances of misconduct among local government officials, including one who accepted 20 million won (approximately $14,500 USD) in bribes related to his duties.