USFK Korean Labor Union "Welcomes US Agreement on Advance Payment of Wages"... Unpaid Leave Workers to Return to Work Soon

US Department of Defense "Accepts South Korea's Proposal to Cover Labor Costs for Korean Workers at USFK"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] As the United States accepted a plan for the South Korean government to prioritize payment of wages for Korean workers employed by the US Forces Korea (USFK), over 4,000 Korean workers who had been forced into unpaid leave since April have been able to return to their workplaces.

On the 3rd, the National Union of Korean Workers at USFK welcomed the US decision to "agree on the advance payment of wages for Korean workers at USFK," stating, "The USFK Command and the union have been in discussions for a prompt resolution, each demanding their respective governments ensure that there is no gap in the national security of the Republic of Korea under any circumstances, and that unpaid leave for Korean employees makes it impossible for USFK to carry out its mission."

They also emphasized that institutional improvements to prevent recurrence must be made. The union stated, "What is truly important is that definite institutional improvements must follow to ensure such a situation never happens again," adding, "The defense cost-sharing negotiations have not yet been concluded, and when they are, clear provisions to prevent recurrence of such situations must be explicitly included in the main text of the negotiations or in the implementation agreement."

USFK also issued a statement on the same day, calling it "great news for USFK and Korean workers," and said, "This decision marks the end of a difficult time for the workers."

Earlier, on the 2nd (local time), the US Department of Defense agreed on a plan to pay wages to Korean workers at USFK who had been on unpaid leave. This is interpreted as a result influenced by concerns within the US that prolonged unpaid leave could weaken the Korea-US alliance and combined defense posture, especially as South Korea had already enacted a special law to support those on unpaid leave.

The US Department of Defense stated in a press release that under this agreement between Korea and the US, the South Korean government is expected to bear $200 million (approximately 243.4 billion KRW) for 4,000 workers through the end of this year. USFK had placed some Korean workers on unpaid leave since April, citing the absence of a concluded Korea-US defense cost-sharing agreement. Although the South Korean government requested advance payment of wages to the US side regardless of the negotiation outcome, the US had rejected the proposal, emphasizing the need for a "comprehensive agreement."

The US Department of Defense said in the statement, "This decision makes the wage burden for Korean civilian employees of USFK more equitable," and added, "The US can now maintain the combined defense posture, which is the alliance's top priority." In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 3rd welcomed the US decision to end unpaid leave for Korean workers at USFK, stating, "Both Korea and the US will strive to reach an agreement on defense cost-sharing negotiations as soon as possible."

The Ministry of National Defense stated that even with the payment of wages to Korean workers, the enacted special law will be implemented as is. The special law provides the legal basis for the South Korean government to provide livelihood stabilization support payments if wages are not paid to Korean workers employed by USFK due to defense cost-sharing negotiations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.