Seoul ordered to compensate family of sexually harassed city civil servant who killed herself

The court ordered government bodies to compensate the family of a public servant who took her own life after suffering from sexual harassment and workplace bullying, according to the prosecution Tuesday.

The Seoul High Court ordered the Government Employees Pension Service to compensate the family of the female civil servant in December, saying the organization did not provide proper treatment for the victim even after she reported several incidents. 

The married victim, who was working in the Office of Waterworks of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, had allegedly been sexually harassed by three senior officials for three months after she started working there in August 2013.

She had requested sexual misconduct training be held at the organization to prevent further occurrences to another senior official, without revealing the names of the perpetrators.

She reportedly complained about bullying at the workplace to acquaintances, suggesting that she had suffered from secondary damage after she raised the sexual harassment issue. After suffering from depression for months, she took her own life in May 2014.

The court also found the Seoul Metropolitan Government responsible for the death and, in June, ordered it to provide compensation to her family for not taking quick and proper actions to protect the victim.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)