Due to the recent murder at a PC room in Gangseo-gu, there are growing views on the need for safety measures for workers who take night shifts at PC rooms, convenience stores, etc. In June, a person in his fifties was apprehended by the police for threatening a convenience store clerk with their gas gun for being ‘inhospitable.’ In December 2016, a convenience store clerk was killed by a customer who yielded a weapon in Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do.

According to a “survey on late-night workers” by Seoul Labor Center last year, 31.4% of respondents (159 people) said that they had experienced violence, and not just linguistic violence but also physical and sexual harassment, etc.

Another survey on current/previous convenience store workers about late-night violence, conducted by the Labor Union of Part-time Workers, shows even more dire results. The percentage of workers having experienced linguistic/physical violence was 67.9%, and 20% of female part-time workers experienced sexual violence/harassment.

As such, there needs to be protectionary measures for late-night workers, since crimes targeting them persist.

Therefore, there is an obligation on the part of the business owner to establish personal protection safety measures for the workers, as well as establishing an emergency mobilization system with the police to protect the safety of late-night workers at PC rooms, convenience stores, etc. (Newly insert Article 23, paragraph 4)

Article 23 (Safety measures)
④ The business owner shall establish safety measures for the personal protection of workers, as well as establishing an emergency mobilization system with the police.