It was revealed that the number of cases in which employees received disciplinary action for various violations at Korea Gas Corporation, ranging from workplace harassment and sexual harassment to improper use of corporate cards and poor attendance, reached 134 cases from 2022 through September this year. As workplace harassment has been included as a reason for discipline every year, and violations related to duty performance and expense management have recurred, there are calls to review the internal control and management and supervision systems.
According to employee disciplinary status data submitted by Korea Gas Corporation to Rep. Cho Ji-yeon of the People Power Party (Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province) on the 14th, the number of disciplinary cases by year was 25 in 2022, 16 in 2023, 15 in 2024, 64 in 2025, and 14 through September this year. Last year included numerous cases where multiple employees were disciplined for the same incident, and various violations were identified, ranging from workplace harassment to breaches of duty and integrity obligations.
In particular, organizational culture-related violations such as workplace harassment and sexual harassment recurred over several years. Disciplinary actions due to workplace harassment occurred every year up to this year, including 7 cases in 2022. The severity of the discipline varied from reprimands to three-month suspensions.
Additionally, one employee was dismissed each in 2023 and 2024 for sexual harassment-related violations. In 2024, a three-month suspension was also imposed for using abusive language and making sexually harassing remarks. As cases of discipline due to workplace harassment were confirmed this year as well, there are calls for effective measures to improve the organizational culture.
Issues surrounding duty performance and expense management also recurred. Excessive receipt of travel expenses, improper use of corporate cards, and poor attendance were cited as reasons for discipline. In February 2025, eight employees were disciplined for improper use of corporate cards and poor attendance, and a manager from the same team received a reprimand for neglecting management and supervision over the violations of department members.
Issues surrounding company asset management and work discipline also surfaced. In June 2025, four employees who sold company goods externally were disciplined. Among them, one was dismissed, one received a three-month suspension, and the remaining two had their pay reduced. In 2023, there was also a case where an employee received a three-month pay reduction for unauthorized absence and subsequently faced dismissal, showing that duty violations can lead to severe disciplinary action.
Problems were also identified in the processes of business handling and management and supervision. In 2022, employees were disciplined for improper construction management and inappropriate approval of system operation procedures. In 2023, there was a case where requests for guidance and supervision from supervising institutional investors were not properly fulfilled.
In 2025, four employees at the Samcheok Base Headquarters were disciplined for failing to apply for Free Trade Agreement (FTA) agreement tariff rates, and 30 employees at the Incheon Base Headquarters were disciplined for improper execution of late-night meal expenses.
Disciplinary actions related to duty performance continued this year as well. In February, three employees who improperly used sick leave were disciplined, and in May, a pay reduction was imposed for drinking during lunch breaks. In addition, violations of the Anti-Graft Act, breaches of the prohibition on concurrent employment, drunk driving, and leaving one's post were included as reasons for discipline, representing actions that undermine the duty obligations and integrity of public institutional investor employees.
There were also cases of dismissal or termination for serious violations. In 2022, one employee was dismissed for violating the Animal Protection Act and special property damage, and in 2024, one employee was dismissed for drug possession. In June this year, one employee was dismissed for attempted extortion and coercion, and in July, an employee who unauthorizedly accessed another person's messenger and threatened them was terminated.
In particular, as workplace harassment has been confirmed as a reason for discipline every year, and cases involving multiple employees have emerged in duty performance and expense management issues, criticism is being raised that the effectiveness of existing measures should be reviewed.
Jo Ji-yeon (Rep.) emphasized, "Korea Gas Corporation must establish work discipline among its employees and strengthen management and supervision responsibilities to operate as a responsible organization befitting a public enterprise."
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