Korea to raise minimum wage of foreign crews

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The government has decided to raise the minimum wage of foreign crew members on local fishing boats to the level received by their Korean colleagues by 2026, the oceans ministry said Wednesday.

Foreign crew members working in Korea currently receive 9,157 won ($7.68) per hour, 81 percent of what their Korean colleagues take home, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

After a series of consultations, the government, the industry and related unions have agreed to raise the wage in phases to eliminate the gap by 2026, the ministry said.

"We will continue efforts to better protect the rights of foreign crew members, as we've been increasingly dependent on these workers," ministry official Jeon Jae-woo said.

Korea implemented a set of guidelines to better improve working conditions for foreign fishermen here, such as providing a standardized contract and ensuring enough break time. They account for around a quarter of the country's total workforce in the sector. (Yonhap)