"Over 840 labor violations uncovered at worksites employing foreign nationals"

The government uncovered widespread labor rights violations during two rounds of targeted inspections this year at worksites employing foreign workers.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced Wednesday that its probe discovered a total of 846 violations at 182 worksites among 196 high-risk workplaces inspected, from late April to June and again in September.

While a broad 2022 review of 1,365 workplaces uncovered 5,162 violations, this year’s more narrowly targeted inspections of 182 high-risk sites still revealed 846 violations...

Moreover, the ministry formally filed complaints with the prosecution against employers in particularly serious cases. In one instance, the manager of a company in South Chungcheong Province physically assaulted a foreign employee for minor workplace errors. In another case, the owner of a Gangwon-based company refused to pay 110 million won in wages to 25 Korean and foreign staff members since December 2024, ignoring repeated orders to resolve the issue. Both cases have been referred to criminal prosecution on labor law violation charges...

...Three businesses that unlawfully hired foreign employees without obtaining the E-9 permit under the Employment Permit Program have been slapped with a ban on hiring noncitizens.

The ministry vowed to rigorously monitor compliance at these workplaces. It warned that any site deemed likely to repeat violations will be subject to follow-up inspections and possibly stricter penalties...