Army Investigates Allegations of Workplace Harassment by Officer

The Army's Capital Defense Command has concluded its investigation into allegations that Major A verbally abused and assigned inappropriate tasks to a pregnant subordinate officer. The command plans to determine whether to impose disciplinary action against Major A following a legal review.

According to a report by the Aju Economy investigative team on June 29, the Capital Defense Command confirmed substantial evidence supporting the allegations of workplace harassment against Major A after a two-week investigation. The inquiry also uncovered instances of Major A belittling not only subordinates but also superiors. However, Major A reportedly denied the allegations during the investigation, claiming, "I do not remember."

Major A is accused of misusing her position to issue unfair work assignments to subordinate officers, including Captain C and Major B, who were approaching promotion. There are also claims that she used her authority over performance evaluations to exert pressure regarding personnel decisions and promotions.

Specifically, Major A allegedly forced Captain C, who was in the early stages of pregnancy, to arrive at work earlier than required and assigned her unrelated document handling tasks. Captain C reportedly had to navigate six floors of stairs for about five weeks to complete these tasks.

As Captain C expressed her concerns about the workload and requested maternity protection time after revealing her pregnancy, Major A allegedly threatened her, saying, "Can I flaunt my power over you?" and ordered her to "get down on the floor." Current regulations guarantee maternity protection time for pregnant service members for rest or medical appointments, yet Major A's actions were reportedly in violation of these rules.

Due to the oppressive atmosphere created by Major A, Captain C was unable to fully utilize her guaranteed maternity rights. Ultimately, Captain C experienced repeated bleeding and suffered a miscarriage at ten weeks of pregnancy amid ongoing workplace harassment.

After becoming aware of the situation, the Capital Defense Command initiated an investigation into Major A and reportedly gathered substantial evidence supporting the allegations. With the legal investigation now underway, interest in the potential disciplinary actions against Major A is growing.

On June 18, the Aju Economy investigative team consulted five legal experts, including former military lawyers and attorneys specializing in military human rights issues, regarding the legal implications of the case. All experts indicated that Major A is unlikely to avoid severe penalties.

Experts noted that the military penal code could apply to acts of cruelty, coercion, threats, and abuse of authority. They emphasized that if a superior repeatedly demanded that a pregnant subordinate officer perform tasks contrary to regulations, it could be considered an abuse of power beyond mere command and supervision.

Additionally, the fact that there are multiple victims is cited as a reason for potential severe penalties. Byung-gyeong, a representative attorney at Ilro Law Firm and a former military prosecutor, stated, "If there are multiple misconducts such as verbal abuse and abuse of authority, and if these occurred repeatedly over a significant period, it could lead to penalties beyond simple suspension or demotion, possibly resulting in a severe disciplinary action."

While proving a direct causal link between Major A's misconduct and Captain C's miscarriage may be challenging, experts believe the seriousness of the incident and the level of discipline will be considered.

Song Seung-hwan, a representative attorney at Solugen Law Firm and a former naval officer, noted, "Even if a miscarriage occurs due to the perpetrator's abusive behavior, it may be practically difficult to prove the causal relationship in court. However, the outcome of the miscarriage could be factored into the severity of the perpetrator's punishment."

Moreover, there are discussions about the possibility of personnel actions, such as reassignment, occurring alongside the disciplinary process. Depending on the severity of the case and specific facts, criminal proceedings may also be anticipated.

Some have pointed out that this incident highlights issues beyond individual misconduct, revealing problems within the military's personnel and promotion structure and its closed organizational culture. On June 19, the Aju Economy investigative team interviewed Captain Kim Sang-ho, a former Army officer and popular YouTuber with 400,000 subscribers, about the realities of military organizational culture. Kim has consistently raised concerns about structural issues within the military.

He stated, "In an officer organization with mandatory retirement ages, failing to be promoted on time can deprive individuals of pension opportunities, leading to significant risks of having to retire without proper career advancement." He emphasized that the influence of superiors' evaluations on officers' careers and lives forces them to endure unfair directives and harassment, making it difficult to eradicate such abuses.

The organizational culture, where colleagues hesitate to speak out due to fear of repercussions, is also seen as a critical area for improvement. Even if commanders or mid-level managers recognize issues early on, a culture of minimizing or concealing problems due to concerns about organizational reputation and personnel responsibilities makes it challenging to protect victims and prevent recurrence.

In fact, the Aju Economy investigative team has received reports about Major A since June 16 and has contacted over ten victims and witnesses, but many have refrained from providing detailed testimonies due to fears of personnel repercussions, opting instead for silence and inaction.

Meanwhile, a military official stated, "Follow-up procedures based on the results of the investigation are underway according to relevant regulations, and final actions will be determined after additional legal investigations." The official added, "The conclusion of the investigation and the initiation of follow-up procedures do not confirm that all allegations are true," and emphasized that the military is comprehensively reviewing the facts and necessary actions according to relevant regulations and procedures.

The Aju Economy investigative team plans to continue monitoring the disciplinary outcomes for Major A, as well as the military's follow-up actions and whether adequate protective measures for the victims are implemented.