"I'll Get You a Job"... Contractor Embezzling Wages of Crab Fishing Boat Crew Working 20 Hours of Hard Labor

Deceived by Illegal Crew Recruiters, Forced onto Flower Crab Fishing Boat
Trapped Inside the Boat During Operations... Wages Not Properly Paid
Recruiters Pocketed 400 Million Won... History of Similar Crimes

A business owner who exploited intellectually disabled sailors by putting them on a crab fishing boat and embezzling their wages has been arrested.

On the 26th, JTBC reported, "Five years ago, a man with an intellectual disability, Mr. A, boarded a crab fishing boat on the West Coast departing from Tongyeong through Mr. B, who ran a job placement agency in Busan." It was reported that Mr. A and other disabled individuals were trapped on the boat for five months during the fishing season, working 20 hours a day of hard labor without receiving proper pay. They were unable to return home even after the crab fishing season ended and stayed at accommodations arranged by Mr. B before boarding another boat.

The Coast Guard is approaching to rescue a crew member who was exploited for wages by an illegal crew recruiter.
[Image provided by Tongyeong Coast Guard]

Mr. B initially promised to pay 3 million won per month, but Mr. A only received 1 million won. The total wages Mr. B embezzled from the intellectually disabled amounted to approximately 130 million won. Operating an unlicensed crew placement agency, he illegally introduced 140 sailors and collected about 100 million won in placement fees. Furthermore, in collusion with three regular sailors, he received advance payments from shipowners on the condition of working for a year but deserted the ship without permission, collecting 120 million won over four occasions.

Mr. B spent all this money on online gambling and entertainment expenses. The Coast Guard investigation revealed that Mr. B had operated the job placement agency for about 20 years and committed similar crimes more than ten times. Consequently, the Coast Guard arrested Mr. B on charges including quasi-fraud and violations of the Employment Security Act and handed him over to the prosecution. The rescued victims worked hard but never saw their wages. They are currently being connected to their families through the Gyeongnam Developmental Disability Support Center.

A Coast Guard official stated, "The typical fishing season lasts about five months, during which Mr. A and others worked 20 hours a day, excluding sleeping and eating time," adding, "Some shipowners did not dock the boats on land throughout the fishing season to prevent them from escaping." When a sick victim disembarked for hospital treatment, Mr. B sent someone to monitor and force them back onto the boat. He also brought victims whose contracts had ended back to the placement agency, monitored them until they boarded the next boat, and reportedly beat those who disobeyed.

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