Gov’t ramps up crackdown on ‘salt farm slavery’
Trafficking victims recognized as officials widen inspections of isolated coastal farms
A worker rakes salt at a solar salt farm in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, June 20, 2023. This file photo is not related to the story. Newsis
The government is ramping up a crackdown on labor exploitation in salt farms in an effort to close loopholes that have allowed “salt farm slavery” to persist and become an international human rights and trade issue.
Under a plan jointly announced Thursday by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, government workers will cooperate with police to create a standing, field-centered response system targeting abusive practices in salt farms.
The move follows the latest such case in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province, in which a salt farm owner was arrested for allegedly exploiting three workers, at least one of whom has a serious intellectual disability. The case has reignited worries over rights violations in remote coastal workplaces.
On June 25, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said it formally designated the three workers as victims of human trafficking. As recognized victims, they can receive up to six months of living expenses support of 783,000 won ($505) per month each, along with access to medical, legal and other assistance.
Officials say the latest measures are intended to ensure “no further repetition” of labor rights abuses and human rights violations at salt farms. Many of these farms are located on isolated islands, where outside monitoring systems struggle to function effectively.
The oceans ministry said it is strengthening cooperation with labor authorities and police as it expands a full census of employment conditions across all salt farms nationwide, launched in May in partnership with local governments. During on-site surveys, any signs of worker assault, forced labor or wage theft will be immediately reported to labor inspectors and police.
In Sinan, which accounts for 80 percent of the nation's salt farms, the labor ministry’s Mokpo district office has begun random inspections at 55 salt farms to check compliance with labor laws, including prohibition against workplace violence. If any serious violations are found, labor officials will swiftly open a formal investigation to seek criminal charges.
Meanwhile, oceans officials and local authorities will apply the full range of administrative sanctions against violators, including revoking operating permits, recovering state subsidies and barring offenders from future public programs.
The government’s sense of urgency is also shaped by international fallout. Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection imposed an import ban on solar salt produced at Taepyeong Salt Farm — Korea's largest salt farm company — in Sinan, citing forced labor as the basis for the decision.
It was the first time a foreign government formally blocked imports of a Korean company’s products on forced labor grounds, marking a watershed moment in how “salt farm slavery” is viewed outside Korea.
In addition, the labor ministry has sent a notice to all 765 salt farm businesses across Korea calling on owners to conduct self-assessments of labor standards and their compliance with laws. It also plans to provide training for them, in a bid to raise awareness of workers’ rights and strengthen human rights sensitivity.
“Violent abuse and forced labor are forms of premodern labor exploitation that trample on workers’ human rights and will not be tolerated,” Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said. “We will work closely with relevant state agencies to thoroughly track down such violations and respond with a strict zero-tolerance approach.”
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Hwang Jong-woo said protecting the rights of workers is “the most basic precondition for a sustainable salt industry,” vowing to help build production and working conditions that the public can trust.