This action is part of the ongoing establishment of a permanent monitoring system for wage abuse, announced in May. The labor authorities plan to conduct inspections sequentially, focusing on one region each month.
The inspections will be concentrated in Seongnam's Pangyo Techno Valley, where many IT, software, and game development companies employ a large number of young workers. The area has received numerous anonymous reports regarding the abuse of comprehensive wage systems and fixed overtime. Reports indicated that employees worked until 10 p.m. daily during a two-month intensive work period, raising concerns about the potential for such practices to continue. Additionally, there were frequent instances of impromptu overtime based on verbal instructions, and worries about inadequate management of work hour records.
As a result, the ministry will target workplaces that have received anonymous tips and those suspected of violating labor laws within the industrial complex. This marks the first time the ministry has expanded its oversight of wage abuse from specific businesses to entire industrial complexes under the current administration. Previously, the focus was primarily on individual complaints, but the new approach aims to improve labor practices across entire sectors.
Since the announcement of guidelines to prevent wage abuse on April 9, the ministry has been receiving reports through its anonymous reporting center. The number of reports has increased more than fivefold compared to the same period last year, and the ministry plans to select workplaces for inspection based on these tips.
Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon stated, "It is unacceptable for unpaid overtime or long working hours to be justified by claims of advanced innovation. We must eradicate these exploitative wage practices to protect workers' health rights and ensure fair compensation."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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