"Stand Facing the Wall" "Write Six Pages of Reflections"... Dental Clinic Demands 1.8 Million Won from Employee Who Quit After Two Days

[The Financial News] A large dental clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, has sparked controversy after demanding 1.8 million won in compensation from an employee who resigned just two days after joining.
According to Yonhap News Agency on the 24th, the Seoul Southern District Office of Employment and Labor, Gangnam Branch, dispatched a labor inspector to the clinic on the 20th to investigate possible violations of labor laws, including pre-determined penalty clauses.
A pre-determined penalty clause refers to setting a fixed amount of compensation in advance if a worker breaches the employment contract. Article 20 of the Labor Standards Act prohibits this practice.
The clinic is suspected of effectively forcing employees to agree to a clause requiring them to pay half a month's salary if they resign without giving one month's notice. If a violation of labor laws is confirmed, a corrective order may be issued. Failure to comply could result in fines, penalties, or a formal investigation.
Allegations have also emerged that, in addition to the penalty clause, illegal overtime and workplace harassment were commonplace at the clinic. The head dentist reportedly used abusive language in group chat rooms, forced employees to stand facing the wall for hours as punishment, and required them to write lengthy reflection letters detailing their mistakes.
Employee A stated, "I was made to submit five or six pages of so-called 'dense writing,' filling each A4 sheet with 60 lines of my mistakes." Another former employee, B, said, "I saw the head dentist's desk drawer filled with these 'dense writing' sheets."
Another former employee, C, reported, "There were times when staff were gathered late at night and yelled at to create a sense of fear."
It was also alleged that the head dentist forced employees to sign a confirmation document stating that overtime exceeding 12 hours per week or changes to break times could occur.
In response, the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) has decided to launch a special inspection starting on the 24th. MOEL will form a team of seven inspectors to conduct a comprehensive review of potential violations of labor-related laws.
moon@fnnews.com Moon Young-jin Reporter