'Allegations of workplace harassment inside a vehicle involving comedian Park Narae are spreading into a legal and social debate centered on the question of "whether the specific act actually occurred."
Lee Don-ho, an attorney at Nova Law Office, interpreted the matter legally on his YouTube channel on the 5th and said, "The key is the judgment on whether the acts pointed out as problematic in the car actually occurred." The attorney said, "If the acts are recognized as true, they could lead to issues of sexual harassment or workplace harassment," and explained, "Given the nature of the manager position, the vehicle can also be seen as a space for performing work." He added, "If a worker in a work space was forced to perceive unwanted sexual situations visually or auditorily, it could amount to workplace harassment."
However, he drew a line saying legal judgment could differ depending on the degree and specificity of the acts. "If the level of physical contact is low, the seriousness of the problem can also be lower," and he explained, "Sexual harassment is not a criminal offense but falls under civil damages or the domain of workplace harassment determinations."
The attorney said that from the former managers' perspective it is important to receive a factual finding that "such acts occurred," while from Park Narae's perspective it is decisive to receive a finding that "such acts did not occur," summing up the interests of both sides.
He also said, "Park Narae belongs to an occupation in which public image is important," and predicted, "If a court or administrative decision recognizes that sexual acts in the vehicle occurred and leads to an award of consolation money, it could cause a devastating blow to her entertainment activities overall." He added, "Considering realistic losses such as advertising contract penalties, the longer the controversy continues the greater the damage will inevitably be," and said, "If you are a legal representative, you can only consider negotiations or mediation to prevent the dispute from expanding."
Earlier, Channel A reported that Park Narae's former managers submitted a complaint of workplace harassment to the Seoul Regional Office of Employment and Labor. The complaint reportedly contained allegations that in the confined space of a vehicle they could not avoid unwanted situations and were forced to perceive them visually and auditorily by the use of the user's position. It also reportedly included content that the repeated manipulation of the driver's seat during the process even caused a risk of traffic accidents.
Currently, multiple legal disputes are proceeding in parallel between Park Narae and her former managers, including claims for damages and criminal complaints and countersuits in addition to allegations of workplace harassment. The Office of Employment and Labor plans to summon the complainants this month to conduct a fact-finding investigation. However, experts emphasize that it is difficult to determine the facts until the labor office's investigation results and the judiciary's judgment are issued.
In the end, the core criteria for judgment in this matter are expected to be whether the problematic acts in the vehicle actually occurred and, if they did, whether they constitute an abuse of superior status in the workplace. At the same time, social debates such as "how far does the scope of workplace harassment extend" and "how far should reporting on private life be permitted" are also likely to continue for the time being.<
[Photo] 'OSEN DB'
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