"Crackdown on Illegal Wage Arrears for Seafarers"...Intensive Inspection to Begin

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 20th that it will conduct special labor inspections to prevent and resolve seafarers' wage arrears ahead of the Chuseok holiday.

This special labor inspection will be carried out from the 21st of this month to the 21st of next month, with inspection teams formed under 11 regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Offices nationwide. The inspection teams plan to check wage payments at all workplaces and guide and supervise the settlement of wage arrears before the holiday.

In particular, in accordance with Article 55-4 of the Seafarers Act (Disclosure of List of Shipowners with Wage Arrears), it will be actively promoted that from August 2024, the list of shipowners with wage arrears may be disclosed, and special labor inspections to resolve wage arrears will be strictly enforced.

Previously, during the last Lunar New Year, approximately 482 million KRW in wage arrears for 177 seafarers at 37 workplaces were paid through special labor inspections.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

If a business goes bankrupt or becomes insolvent and wages are not received, seafarers can receive a certain range of wage arrears through the 'Wage Claim Guarantee Insurance.' Various legal services related to lawsuits are supported through the 'Free Legal Aid Project for Seafarers' by the Korea Seafarers Welfare and Employment Center and the Korea Legal Aid Corporation.

The Wage Claim Guarantee Insurance pays a certain amount on behalf of the employer in cases where seafarers do not receive wages or retirement pay due to the employer's bankruptcy or insolvency.

Minister Cho Seung-hwan of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries stated, "Through special labor inspections, we will take all necessary measures, including judicial actions, to resolve habitual wage arrears, and in addition to the legal aid project, we will continuously prepare support measures for affected seafarers."

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