Finding Deceptive Companies and Arresting Employers with Wage Arrears... 10 'Labor Inspectors of the Year' Selected

First Selection as 'Labor Inspection Department of the Year'

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 30th that it has selected 10 'Labor Inspectors of the Year' who dedicated themselves this year to creating a fair labor market through the protection of the vulnerable and the establishment of the rule of law. The department that worked to resolve large-scale wage arrears occurring within its jurisdiction became the first-ever 'Labor Inspection Department of the Year.'

The labor inspectors named on this year's list are ▲Goseong Eun (Busan Office) ▲Kim Yeonok (Gyeonggi) ▲Park Taeyong (Inbuk) ▲Seo Jeongae (Daegu West) ▲Shin Hyewon (Seoul Office) ▲Yoo Heonhee (Gunsan) ▲Yoon Jihyun (Ansan) ▲Lee Gwangchan (Seongnam) ▲Lee Cheolhak (Changwon) ▲Lim Chaemin (Seoul), totaling 10 people.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor explained that the Labor Inspectors of the Year demonstrated a strong sense of mission and devoted efforts in three areas: resolving labor cases, labor inspection, and labor-management cooperation.

In the field of resolving labor cases, six inspectors were selected, including one who showed persistent efforts such as arresting a business owner who fled after using construction payments as living expenses and withholding wages amounting to 160 million won for about 40 workers.

In the labor inspection field, two labor inspectors who contributed to eradicating illegal practices were named on the list by conducting special labor inspections on workplaces that operated by splitting a single workplace into multiple ones, known as the 'workplace splitting' method, to evade labor laws.

In the labor-management cooperation field, two labor inspectors who contributed to building win-win labor-management relations were honored, including those who guided local issue workplaces where negotiations were not proceeding smoothly and which led to strikes and workplace closures, leading them back to the negotiation table.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor also selected the 'Labor Inspection Department of the Year' for the first time. The Seoul Gangnam Branch Labor Improvement Guidance Division 1 supported the prompt rights relief and reemployment of workers at Qoo10 Group affiliates such as TMON and WEMAKEPRICE, where large-scale wage arrears occurred within its jurisdiction, and made efforts including applying for an arrest warrant against the group chairman through strict investigations.

Kim Moonsoo, Minister of Employment and Labor, said, "I thank all labor inspectors nationwide who have become a strong support for labor's vulnerable this year," and added, "I hope you will continue to do your best next year to consider the vulnerable and establish labor-management rule of law as common sense in the field."

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