The use of foreign labor is growing at a rapid pace to meet the ongoing labor shortage. However, organizations representing the rights of domestic workers, such as the Korean Trade Union Confederation, are strongly opposed to this, saying that working conditions will only worsen. This is a picture of a foreign worker working at a flood recovery site. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 25 (Korea Bizwire) – A significant number of migrant workers in South Korea have experienced wage theft, with the average amount owed surpassing 6 million won according to a recent government study.
The report, titled “Research Study on the Current Situation of Wage Arrears for Migrant Workers and Remedies,” was commissioned by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea. It surveyed 379 migrant workers who were employed or had worked in South Korea within the past year.
The findings revealed that the average number of instances of wage theft was 1.09 per worker, with the average amount of unpaid wages reaching 6.63 million won.
The most common range of unpaid wages was between 1 million and 3 million won (34.4 percent), followed by 5 million to 10 million won (28.8 percent), and 3 million to 5 million won (17 percent). Alarmingly, 1.2 percent of respondents reported being owed more than 50 million won.
Despite requesting the payment of their owed wages, 32.2 percent of the migrant workers surveyed said they had not received any compensation. Only 30.9 percent reported receiving the full amount owed, while 34.8 percent received partial payment.
The vast majority (79.9 percent) of the migrant workers had filed complaints with relevant government agencies, such as the Ministry of Employment and Labor or the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, in an attempt to recover their unpaid wages.
However, they faced significant challenges throughout the process, including language barriers and a lack of understanding of South Korean labor laws.
The report recommends several measures to address the issue of wage theft, including expanding support centers for migrant workers, imposing penalties on employers who engage in wage theft by denying them access to foreign labor, and efforts to combat discrimination and hatred toward migrant workers.
The research study was conducted to assess migrant workers’ perceptions of wages, experiences with wage theft, and difficulties encountered when seeking remedies.
Ahead of Labor Day on May 1, the National Human Rights Commission will host a testimonial event and policy discussion on wage theft experienced by migrant workers. The event, organized in collaboration with the Migrant Workers’ Emergency Support Center, will take place on April 29 at the commission’s learning center in Seoul’s Jongno District.
Lee Jasmine, a lawmaker from the Justice Party who was the first non-ethnic Korean and naturalized South Korean to be elected to the National Assembly, will deliver a congratulatory address at the event.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
