Forced Investigation Launched into Gwangju Hospital Over Nurse's Alleged Suicide Due to Workplace Bullying

Authorities have initiated a forced investigation into a hospital in Gwangju, South Korea, following allegations that a nurse in her 20s died by suicide due to severe workplace bullying, a practice known as 'taem'. The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency's Wide-Area Criminal Investigation Division dispatched investigators on the morning of July 23 to conduct searches and seizures at five locations, including the hospital where the nurse, identified as A, had worked.

Prior to the search, police had already booked three individuals connected to the hospital. While the specific charges have not been disclosed, the investigation aims to gather comprehensive evidence, including work records and electronic devices from the hospital and the residences of those booked. This move follows earlier inquiries where police interviewed relatives and university friends of the deceased nurse as witnesses. They also obtained and analyzed the nurse's diary and mobile phone, provided by her family.

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Taem is never justifiable horrific violence.

The nurse's diary reportedly detailed instances of workplace harassment over approximately one year of her employment. She had filed a complaint about this bullying with the labor authorities before her death. The labor authorities' investigation confirmed some of her claims and issued corrective orders to the hospital. The term 'taem' refers to a harsh workplace training culture where senior nurses excessively bully junior staff, stemming from the expression 'burning until reduced to ashes.'

President Lee Jae-myung commented on the case via social media, stating that 'taem' is an "unjustifiable and horrific violence." He urged the police to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into any potential illegal activities. In response to the President's remarks, police formed a dedicated 20-member investigative team, led by Wide-Area Criminal Investigation Unit Chief Heo Tae-gyu, to pursue the case.

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I hope the police will clearly investigate without any doubt whether there were illegal acts related to this case.