Korea Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics
Preamble
Social workers, based on the principles of humanity and equality,
respect the dignity and the worth of people, and dedicate lives toensure people's inherent right to freedom and survival. In particular,social workers should advocate for values of social justice, equality,freedom, and democracy on behalf of the socially and economicallyunderprivileged. Social workers not only work with people in need tohelp enhance social status and skills, but also part take in various
affairs to improve the quality of social institutions.
Social workers should endeavor to empower individuals claim
self-identity and determination. Individual rights should not be unfairly
dismissed under any circumstance. In order to accomplish these goals,social workers should develop professional expertise and strive tomaintain competence and integrity as professionals who respect andmaterialize social values.
Therefore, social workers declare high ethical standards. Thesestandards should provide a guiding framework to evaluate conduct
concerning clients, colleagues, organizations, communities and thesociety as a whole. There should be a high level of commitment to thecompliance of these standards.

Ethical Standards
I. Social Workers' Fundamental Ethical Standards
1. Code of Conduct as Professionals
1) Social workers should maintain the level of dignity and qualification

1as professionals, taking responsibility for work assignments
entrusted to them.
2) Social workers should never discriminate clients based on religion,
race, gender, nationality, marital condition, sexual orientation,
economic status, political faith, mental or physical disability, orother individual preferences, features, or status.
3) Social workers, as professionals, should attend work assignmentswith diligence and equity. They should never under any
circumstance compromise their integrity when working with clients.
4) Social workers should dedicate to seeking social justice andimproving the well-being of clients. This should be backed with ademand for the country and its society to ensure an enabling
environment.
5) Social workers should not be subject to unjustified interventions orpressures from inside or outside the organizations when fulfilling
work assignments and responsibilities.
6) Social workers should not prioritize their own interests at theexpense of the values and dignity of the social work profession.
7) Social workers should actively participate in the activities ofprofessional organizations, including those of the Korea Associationof Social Workers. They should strive to ensure social justice andpromote the rights of all social workers.

2. Endeavors for Professional Development
1) Social workers have the responsibility to aspire for professional
development, as to utilize and disseminate knowledge and skills thatprovide clients with quality services.
2) Social workers must obtain voluntary and informed consent fromclients when conducting research.
3) The information obtained in the process of research must be kept
confidential. The clients must be protected from physical and mental

2harm during the course of data collection.
4) Social workers must strive to develop professional competency,
whilst maintaining high standards for service delivery.
5) Social workers should actively participate in the trainings offered by
the Korea Association of Social Workers or any other agencies thatshare similar social work values.

3. Code of Conduct towards Financial Return1) Social workers should provide services regardless of the clients'
affordability and should never discriminate clients for this reason.
2) Social workers, if necessary, should set fair and reasonable fees forservices provided.
3) Social workers should not take financial return through unjustmeans.

II. Social Workers' Ethical Standards with Clients
1. Relationship with Clients
1) Social workers should advocate for clients' rights and interests astheir first priority.
2) Social workers should always respect the dignity of clients and fully
utilize professional expertise to meet client needs
3) Social workers should empower clients to exercise theirself-determination to the greatest extent possible, and advocate forclient interests to the fullest.
4) Social workers should respect and protect the privacy of clients.
They should always keep the information obtained in the process
confidential.
5) Social workers must recognize and respect the clients' right to know
by providing accurate and sufficient information about the scope and3

content of services.
6) Social workers, in handling the information collected in the form ofdocuments, pictures, computer files, etc., must inform clients of thepurpose and use of the information as well as the limitation ofconfidentiality in detail. Client consent must be obtained prior to thedisclosure of information.
7) Social workers should never exploit the relationship with clients forthe sake of personal interests.
8) Social workers should not engage in inappropriate sexual
relationship with a client, whether such contact was consensual orforced.
9) Social workers should recognize clients' strengths and work withthem in creating an environment to promote social well-being.

2. Relationship with Colleagues' Clients
1) Social workers should not create a professional relationship withclients of colleagues or their organizations without legitimate andappropriate consultation.
2) If required to provide services to a colleague's client, a socialworker should provide a commensurate quality of service as theywould to their own clients.

III. Social Workers' Ethical Standards with Colleagues
1. Colleague
1) Social workers should treat colleagues with respect and trust. Theirwords and deeds should not hurt the status and dignity of otherprofessionals.
2) Social workers should collaborate with colleagues to promote theinterests and rights of the social work profession.

43) Social workers should facilitate ethical and professional conduct ofcolleagues. In cases where breaching occurs, issues must be dealt
with respect to related regulations and ethical standards.
4) Social workers should take appropriate measures to protect theinterest of clients in instances where issues arise due to professional
misjudgment and malpractice.
5) Social workers should take measures according to related regulations
and ethical standards in cases where unethical conduct has beenreported by other members6) Social workers should recognize and understand the value andsignificance of the duties of colleagues in the social work profession
as well as other professions. They should strive to build a mutuallydemocratic working relationship.

2. Supervisor
1) Supervisors should not exploit their status in order to pursue
personal interests.
2) Supervisors should fulfill their responsibilities with fairness according
to professional standards. Evaluation results must be shared withsocial workers, trainees and field practice students when conducted.
3) Social workers should respect the professional support and guidanceof supervisors. Supervisors should advise social workers concerning
professional assignments.
4) Supervisors should never sexually or personally humiliate social
workers, trainees and field practice students.

IV. Social Workers' Ethical Standards with Society
1) Social workers should respect human rights and equality of every
person. They should also lead in advocating and representing thesocially disadvantaged.

52) Social workers should actively participate in the establishment,advancement, legislation and implementation of social policies aimed
at developing necessary social services.
3) Social workers should demand and advocate for the establishment,advancement, legislation and implementation of social policies aimed
at enhancing the social environment and claiming social justice.
4) Social workers should understand the issues of the community inwhich they work in, and take active measures to resolve them.

V. Social Workers' Organizational Ethical Standards
1) Social workers, for the interests of clients, should strive to achieve
the goals of organizations by ensuring efficiency and effectiveness ofservices.
2) Social workers should respond to unjust policies in organizations byapplying professional values and knowledge, as well as to report
immediately to the Social Work Ethics Committee.
3) Social workers should facilitate the growth of organizations throughactive participation in its activities.

VI. Formation and Operation of the Social Work Ethics Committee
1) The Korea Association of Social Workers should form a Social Work
Ethics Committee in order to enhance the level of ethical practice ofsocial work.
2) The Social Work Ethics Committee should receive reports onviolation of the Code of Ethics and respond accordingly through aformal process.
3) Social workers should respect the ethical recommendation anddecisions made by the Korea Association of Social Workers.

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