Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Over 840 labor violations uncovered at worksites employing foreign nationals
Foreign workers pick radishes at a farm in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Oct. 28. The government said on Wednesday that it uncovered widespread labor rights abuses after conducting two rounds of targeted inspections this year at worksites employing foreign workers. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
Crackdown reveals discriminatory practices, wage theft, excessive work hours
The government uncovered widespread labor rights violations during two rounds of targeted inspections this year at worksites employing foreign workers.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced Wednesday that its probe discovered a total of 846 violations at 182 worksites among 196 high-risk workplaces inspected, from late April to June and again in September.
While a broad 2022 review of 1,365 workplaces uncovered 5,162 violations, this year’s more narrowly targeted inspections of 182 high-risk sites still revealed 846 violations.
Officials said the inspections uncovered troubling patterns of mistreatment toward foreign workers, including 10 workplaces that were found to have committed physical assault and blatant discrimination.
Wage theft was the most prevalent offense, with a total of 1.7 billion won ($1.16 million) in unpaid wages identified at 123 businesses. Additionally, 65 companies were cited for forcing excessive overtime, and 22 denied workers their legally mandated breaks or days off.
The violators were found to have exploited workers’ noncitizen status, withholding bonuses or annual leave from foreign employees while providing the same benefits to Korean workers performing identical duties, officials said. Some employers cited business hardship to justify unpaid wages or allowances that fell below legal standards. Inspectors also uncovered numerous cases in which foreign workers were denied mandatory rest periods and holidays.
In response, the ministry ordered all 182 employers to correct the violations, including settling unpaid wages. Officials said that so far, 1.27 billion won of the 1.7 billion won owed at 103 workplaces has been repaid. The remaining 430 million won in back pay owed by 20 Korean employers to foreign workers is currently being monitored.
Moreover, the ministry formally filed complaints with the prosecution against employers in particularly serious cases. In one instance, the manager of a company in South Chungcheong Province physically assaulted a foreign employee for minor workplace errors. In another case, the owner of a Gangwon-based company refused to pay 110 million won in wages to 25 Korean and foreign staff members since December 2024, ignoring repeated orders to resolve the issue. Both cases have been referred to criminal prosecution on labor law violation charges.
Beyond wage and abuse cases, inspectors also found that some businesses failed to enroll foreign staff in mandatory insurance programs or provided inadequate dormitory facilities. Three businesses that unlawfully hired foreign employees without obtaining the E-9 permit under the Employment Permit Program have been slapped with a ban on hiring noncitizens.
The ministry vowed to rigorously monitor compliance at these workplaces. It warned that any site deemed likely to repeat violations will be subject to follow-up inspections and possibly stricter penalties.
Meanwhile, the ministry said it will step up efforts to improve working conditions for foreign workers, sharing the inspection findings with migrant-heavy businesses, local governments and support centers nationwide.
Legal protections are being strengthened alongside enforcement. As part of the reforms, the Ministry of Justice said earlier this month that it amended regulations so that public officials are no longer required to report undocumented workers who come forward as victims of wage theft — a move aimed at ensuring that foreign victims can seek support without fear of being deported.
“There cannot be any distinction between Korean and foreign workers when it comes to protecting basic labor rights,” Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said. “Foreigners also deserve to have their labor rights guaranteed and to work happily. To achieve this, we will conduct proactive guidance and inspection of workplaces particularly vulnerable to foreign worker exploitation, build an integrated support system for all working foreigners, and improve regulations in cooperation with related agencies so that their grievances are remedied and their rights are protected.”