Besieged IT chief resigns

By Kang Seung-woo

An IT entrepreneur, under heavy fire for abusing employees and killing chickens, said Thursday that he would step down as CEO of his two companies.

Yang Jin-ho

“I made huge mistakes to others without understanding that my dogmatic and arrogant behavior could seriously hurt them,” Yang Jin-ho, chairman of online storage service provider WeDisk and robot developer K-Technology, said in his written apology posted on social media.

“I sincerely apologize for the offense that I have caused and I will take full responsibility for what I have done.”

He concluded: “I will resign from all my positions and not assume any posts that could affect executives and employees.”

Yang's apology came after his wrongdoings came to light after an independent news outlet revealed footage of him abusing and insulting an ex-employee earlier this week.

In addition, a subsequent video showed him ordering his employees to kill chickens with a crossbow and a Japanese sword to make chicken soup for dinner at a workshop in 2016. These videos led police to launch an investigation into the cases.

Another fresh allegation was raised that Yang assaulted a professor in 2013, suspecting that he had an extramarital affair with his wife. This time his brother, a former judoka, and others were involved.

The professor filed a complaint with the prosecution in June last year.

Amid growing criticism on Yang, the ruling party made it clear that it will try to pass a bill designed to protect employees from workplace bullying by their superiors.

“We are shocked to see Yang's wrongdoings,” said Rep. Hong Young-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

“Gapjil (an arrogant and authoritarian attitude and abusive behavior by someone in a superior position) at work is an old-fashioned culture and deep-rooted irregularity that must be rooted out. Relevant government bodies are required to take actions to purge accumulated evils.”