Workplace bullying in Korea: what the law says, mental health effects and coping

CareOps editorial team · October 29, 2026 · 9 min read

Mental wellness information and service guidance published by CareOps.

You're left out of every conversation in meetings, someone belittles you loudly in front of others, and the scene keeps replaying on your way home. Before long you start doubting yourself first: “Am I just too sensitive?” Workplace bullying is prohibited by law in South Korea, and it can leave lasting marks on your mind. Here is what the law says, what effects it can have and what you can do first.

What is workplace bullying? Article 76-2 of the Labor Standards Act #

Article 76-2 of Korea's Labor Standards Act states that “an employer or worker shall not, by taking advantage of a superior position or relationship in the workplace, cause another worker physical or mental suffering or worsen their working environment beyond the appropriate scope of work,” and calls this workplace harassment, often called workplace bullying. The provision was added in 2019. The opening words, “an employer or worker,” mean the person doing it is not only the owner or a boss; it can also be a coworker.

The legal elements: breaking down the article #

Breaking the article into parts, three elements appear together. Whether something actually counts as workplace bullying is judged by looking at these elements along with the circumstances, so use the table as a starting point for organizing your own experience.

The article does not use the word “repeated.” A single incident can be a problem if it is severe, and not every upsetting moment amounts to legal harassment. Where the line falls depends on the situation, so if you need a legal judgment, the surest step is to consult a labor attorney or lawyer. This article is meant to help you look after your mind and is not legal advice.

Examples of workplace bullying: what it often looks like #

The list below is not an official one; it groups behaviors that are commonly discussed as workplace bullying. Whether something qualifies depends on the elements above and the situation.

• Verbal belittling: abusive language or swearing, humiliating you in front of others, mocking your appearance or private life
• Exclusion and isolation: deliberately leaving you out of meetings, information or group chats, or ignoring you when you speak
• Using work against you: piling on an unmanageable workload, or giving you no work at all, or repeatedly assigning tasks unrelated to your job
• Personal demands: making you run personal errands, or pressuring you into drinking or after-work gatherings you don't want
• Excessive monitoring and pressure: watching you far more closely than others, or pressuring you not to take leave or sick days
• Rumors and gossip: spreading baseless rumors or ridiculing you in messengers or on social media

When bullying goes on for a long time, you may start to distrust your own judgment, thinking “Maybe my memory is wrong” or “Everyone says I'm the problem.” If that kind of doubt feels familiar, also read what gaslighting means, with examples.

The personal impact of workplace bullying on mental health #

A meta-analysis of research on the effects of bullying (Nielsen & Einarsen, 2012), drawing on 66 samples and more than 77,000 people, found that being bullied at work was associated with mental and physical health problems, post-traumatic stress symptoms and burnout, as well as wanting to leave the job and lower job satisfaction. In data from 13 samples and more than 62,000 people followed over time, bullying led to mental health problems later on.

Another meta-analysis (Verkuil et al., 2015), covering more than 110,000 people, reported that workplace bullying was associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety and stress-related psychological complaints. Both studies also found that people who were already struggling reported more bullying later. In other words, bullying and mental health difficulties can feed each other in a loop, which is why getting help early matters more than enduring it alone.

In daily life, this can look like chest tightness before work, the scene replaying as you try to sleep, or being unable to rest on weekends because of Monday. If your mood doesn't come back even on days off, see signs of depression at work. If the overall load of work feels heavy, see how to relieve work stress.

What you can do if you're being bullied at work #

1. Keep a dated record: note when, where, who and what was said or done, and who was present. Don't delete messages, emails or work instructions. Also noting how your body and mind felt at the time will help later if you see a counselor or doctor.
2. Tell someone you trust: if even one coworker, family member or friend knows what is happening, it becomes a little easier to step out of the doubt that you're “just too sensitive.”
3. Report it inside the company: Article 76-3 of the Labor Standards Act states that anyone may report workplace harassment to the employer, and the employer must investigate objectively without delay. During the investigation, the employer must take measures to protect the worker who reports being harmed, such as a change of workplace or paid leave, but not against that worker's wishes.
4. Be prepared for retaliation: the same article prohibits dismissal or any other unfavorable treatment of the worker who reported it and of the worker who was harmed. People involved in the investigation are also prohibited from disclosing confidential information against the harmed worker's wishes.
5. Look for help outside the company: if nothing is done inside the company, or you face disadvantages after reporting, you can seek help from the Ministry of Employment and Labor. For which process fits and how it may be judged legally, consult a labor attorney or lawyer.

How mental health problems caused by harassment may be recognized as an occupational illness under Korean workers' compensation, and how adjustment disorder and depression relate to it, are covered in adjustment disorder.

Caring for your mind while it's happening #

Bullying is not a problem you caused by failing to handle stress. Still, while it takes time to resolve, you need ways to protect your mind. Here are a few small things to try in the meantime.

• Put the blame where it belongs: when you catch yourself thinking “It happened because I'm not good enough,” write one sentence about who actually did it.
• Give rumination a set time: if the scene keeps coming back, set a time for writing it down, and at other times tell yourself “I'll write it down later” and return to what you were doing.
• Protect the part of you outside work: keep one thing each day that reminds you who you are apart from the job, such as a walk after work or a short call with someone you like.
• Look after your body first: when sleep and meals fall apart, it gets harder to hold up emotionally. Start by keeping a regular bedtime.

How stressed have you been lately? The PSS-10 check #

The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) asks how unpredictable and overwhelming life has felt over the past month. It is not a test for bullying, but it can help you look at how worn down you've been lately. The CareOps PSS-10 stress check shows your result right away, with no login.

If you want to sort through what happened with someone #

After bullying, the same scenes and the same self-blame keep coming back. CareOps Maeumi is an AI counseling app that runs sessions with approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), helps you put what happened into words and explore the feelings underneath, and remembers past sessions so the next one picks up where you left off. Get the app

This guide shares mental wellness information. If you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services where you are. Support and contact information.