A new law designed to help prevent workplace bullying and harassment went into effect on Tuesday. 

The revised law on labor standards defines workplace bullying as incurring physical or mental suffering or worsening the working environment when employers or employees use their status or relations to act beyond the proper scope of work.

The law applies to any abusive language, violence, sexual harassment and coercive behavior that occurs on or offline at the workplace or any work-related gathering.

Victims or witnesses of bullying or harassment can report the case to the company's personnel department and employers are to immediately investigate and take proper action to address the situation under the new law.

If retaliatory measures are taken against victims or those who report abusive conduct, employers could face up to three years in jail and fines of up to 30 million won.