“66 Face Raps For Illegal Recruitment To South Korea”

There are around 3,400 Filipino seasonal workers in South Korea whose applications did not go through the Department of Migrant Workers.

…at least 66 people were slapped with criminal complaints for their alleged involvement in an illegal recruitment scheme targeting “Seasonal Work Program” (SWP) participants.

The Philippines is seeking a binding agreement with South Korea for the protection of Filipinos hired under SWPs….

[DMW officer-in-charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac] said they have filed cases of illegal recruitment and estafa against the suspects before the Department of Justice.

Cacdac said unscrupulous individuals would act as brokers, demanding fees ranging from P20,000 to P100,000 from Filipinos hired as workers in farms in South Korea.

“They demand this (fee) from the worker before they leave, and if the worker is unable to pay, they would be in debt to whoever this broker is,” he said.

The brokers in the Philippines, Cacdac said citing insider information, also have counterparts in South Korea who claim to facilitate arrangement between the South Korean farm owner and the local government units (LGUs) where the workers come from…

The DMW has also received about 160 labor complaints…