Court Upholds Salary Reduction for Hyun Joo-yup Over 'Unauthorized Absence from Workplace'

[Financial News] A court has ruled that the disciplinary action against broadcaster Hyun Joo-yup was justified after he was penalized by the education office for leaving his workplace without authorization while serving as basketball coach at Whimoon High School. However, the court canceled sanctions such as restrictions on athlete transfers to Whimoon High School's athletic program, ruling that they violated the principle of proportionality.
On the 17th, the second administrative division of the Seoul Administrative Court, presided over by Presiding Judge Gong Hyun-jin, ruled partially in favor of Whimoon School Foundation in a lawsuit it filed against the Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education seeking to overturn a request for action based on audit findings and other measures.
The case began in early 2024, when a parent at Whimoon High School filed a petition alleging that former coach Hyun had neglected his coaching duties because of broadcast activities, including filming mukbang programs. The education office then launched an audit of Whimoon High School and notified the school in July that year of its findings, calling for disciplinary action including a salary reduction for former coach Hyun, a suspension for the principal, and reprimands for the vice principal, teachers, and head of the administrative office.
At the time, the education office also took issue with Whimoon High School and school officials over the improper payment of coaching staff wages, inadequate player management, and improper handling of contract-related work. The court likewise found that there were valid grounds for disciplinary action against former coach Hyun.
The court found that former coach Hyun neglected his core duties as an athletic program instructor by leaving his workplace without prior approval on 18 occasions. He was required to record late arrivals, early departures, outings, or annual leave when engaging in outside activities for broadcast filming. The court also found that Whimoon High School violated relevant laws by hiring someone to fill in for him during his broadcast activities from November 2023 to February 2024 without following proper hiring procedures or providing appropriate compensation.
However, the court ruled that the administrative and financial sanctions imposed on Whimoon High School for these reasons violated the principle of proportionality. The education office had notified the school of sanctions including a one-year restriction on transfers of student-athletes, restrictions on training camps lasting more than 10 days, and exclusion from support for summer and winter special training expenses for one year. The court said, "Imposing all of these measures at once, despite their potential to seriously disrupt the operation of the athletic program, causes greater harm to the private interests of the school, students, and parents than the public interest gained through them."
In October 2024, the Seoul Administrative Court also partially granted and partially denied Whimoon School Foundation's application to suspend enforcement. At the time, the court maintained the effect of the disciplinary action against former coach Hyun, while suspending only the effect of measures against Whimoon High School, including the transfer restrictions and the exclusion from special training expense support.
[email protected] Kim Hee-sun Reporter