Food and drug safety ministry to introduce workplace counseling system

The food and drug safety ministry said it will introduce an external counseling service in August for employees facing workplace abuse and harassment.

The ministry said the independent channel outside the organization is intended to prevent internal conflict and workplace abuse. Counseling applicants' anonymity and confidentiality will be protected, it said.

The two outside labor consultants, selected after recommendations from the Korean Certified Public Labor Attorneys Association, specialize in workplace abuse and harassment cases. They will provide preventive counseling and advice, counsel employees on filing complaints and rights-relief procedures, receive reports and assist with proxy reports. They will also participate in investigations by the ministry's investigative body and provide prevention training.

The program will operate on a trial basis through the end of 2026. The ministry will consider its performance before pursuing full operations in 2027.

"For employees harmed by workplace abuse, the system will be a safety net where they can ask for help without worrying about how they are seen within the organization," Oh Yu-kyoung, head of the food and drug safety ministry, said.