ⓒYONHAP News

Police on Friday raided the home and offices of IT entrepreneur Yang Jin-ho days after videos surfaced online of him abusing his employees.

In the footage, the chairman of online storage service provider WeDisk and robot developer K-Technology is seen physically and verbally assaulting his employees and abusing animals. Yang is already under police investigation over suspicions that his company overlooked the circulation of obscene material on his file storage and sharing site.

The videos depict an all-too-common phenomenon in Korea among persons of power called ‘gabjil’, or the arrogant and authoritarian attitude and actions of people in South Korea who have positions of power. Gabjil arises from the hierarchical nature of Korean society and work culture.

Fortunately, the public outrage and subsequent police action against Yang Jin-ho suggest gapjil is becoming less and less socially acceptable, and that those who engage in such behavior will face consequences for their actions.