“Taean power plant worker lost ₩5.8 million out of ₩10 million monthly wage to subcontractors before fatal accident”, 15 June 2025

It has emerged that Kim Chung-hyun (50), a non-regular worker who died on 2 June after being caught in machinery at the Taean Thermal Power Plant operated by Korea Western Power, received only ₩4.2 million out of a ₩10 million monthly wage designated by the principal employer. Nearly 60% of his direct labour cost was siphoned off by intermediate subcontractors — a stark example of wage skimming.

The case echoes that of Kim Yong-gyun, a worker who also died at the same plant in 2018, having received just ₩2.2 million out of a ₩5.22 million wage set by the client company. (…)

…Although the Serious Accidents Punishment Act was enacted following Kim Yong-gyun’s death, systemic issues like subcontractor exploitation remain unresolved. (…) In addition to the wage skimming, Kim Chung-hyun’s labour rights were severely restricted. His employment contract with Korea Power O&M included clauses allowing the company to unilaterally adjust working hours and locations, impose overtime, and restrict the worker from raising objections to legal entitlements including annual salary, statutory allowances, and severance pay.

Another clause prohibited workers from disclosing others’ salaries and warned of disciplinary action if breached — a provision the workers’ advocacy committee criticised as a deliberate attempt to silence whistleblowing over exploitative conditions.