By Chung Hyun-chae
The Ministry of Education plans to set new guidelines to stop businesses from exploiting student workers.
The move comes amid the rampant practice of employers refusing to make due payment to interns and apprentices. Such exploitation is widespread amid high youth unemployment.
Many employers have also abused local universities internship programs.
According to the ministry’s draft guidelines, students cannot work more than 40 hours a week with a ban on night shifts.
The students can work overtime up to 12 hours a week only when they agree to it.
“We made clear in the guidelines that students are trainees or apprentices, not employees,” a ministry official said.
The new rule also seeks to make companies, institutions and organizations pay students more than the minimum wage.
“We will consider raising wages in the future after discussing the matter with companies,” the official added.
The ministry held a public hearing on legislation at the National Research Foundation of Korea in Dajeon, Wednesday. College students and company and university officials shared diverse opinions during the hearing.
According to the ministry, the new guidelines will be finalized next year after building a consensus on the matter by the end of this year.
The ministry will encourage universities to add guidelines to their curriculum and strictly follow them.
“We hope the guidelines will root out illegal labor practices involving student workers,” the official said. “We will try to establish an adequate supervisory framework to protect the rights of student workers.”