"Would foreigners want to work at a seaweed farm in the middle of winter? There are many friends here who were pushed and pushed from the city among undocumented immigrants. Employers often take advantage of that situation."
On the 10th, at a grocery store near a seaweed farm in Jeonnam, employee A said, "Until seasonal workers arrive during the seaweed farming season, most of the workers are undocumented immigrants. Seaweed farmers prefer to work with undocumented immigrants who have been working for a long time, rather than seasonal workers who work for a short time. If there are no undocumented immigrants, we can't eat seaweed because Koreans love it."
While chatting with A, a Starex vehicle carrying several foreign workers stopped at the grocery store entrance. The driver got out of the car and briefly scanned the area before getting back in and leaving. A said, "Recently, there have been many crackdowns, so (undocumented immigrants) have been caught, and whenever we see the black T-shirts or vests worn by the enforcement team, we become very cautious." On that day, the reporter was wearing a black T-shirt.
Concerns are rising that exports of Korean agricultural and fisheries products to the United States may be impacted as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strengthens investigations into forced labor practices in Asia, including Korea.
CBP can ban the import of products produced through forced labor, because in workplaces with many foreign workers, there are many cases that could be seen as forced labor, such as ▲exploitation of vulnerability ▲fraud ▲restriction of movement ▲confiscation of identification ▲harsh living and working conditions ▲refusal to pay wages ▲excessive overtime. CBP previously banned the import of salt from Taean, Jeonnam, stating it was produced through forced labor.
The head of the Migrant Rights Center for All noted that seaweed farming was one of the industries that CBP would be keenly observing. This is because the export amount exceeds 1 trillion won annually, and there are many foreign workers and informal supply chains (illegal farms).
Seaweed farming occurs from November to April of the following year for about six months and takes place in extreme working conditions that require tasks to be completed quickly in accordance with the cold seawater, wind, and tides. Because of this, it is not easy to find Korean workers.
During the farming season, seasonal workers legally entering Korea also work, but some employers prefer undocumented immigrants who have lived in Korea for a long time, as it takes a long time to train seasonal workers who only stay for a few months.
A foreign worker from Indonesia, B, whom I met on-site said, "I have to flip the seaweed nets one or two times a week (to ensure they get enough sunlight), and I often end up bending over and standing up at the bow, which really hurts my back. Many people get injured, but without a visa, it's difficult to go to a health center or hospital."
The Jeonnam region, which includes Goheung, Wando, and Jindo, is the largest seaweed producing area in the country, accounting for about 80% of the national seaweed production. Currently, it is not the seaweed farming season, so seasonal workers have not yet entered the country. Most foreign workers encountered locally had entered on employment permit visas (E-9) or foreign sailor permits (E-10) or were undocumented immigrants whose visa periods had expired.
The living conditions for foreign workers are poor. The Ministry of Employment and Labor reported that during a survey of 107 marine farming business sites in Yeosu and Goheung last year, it found that seven places had installed dormitories for foreign workers on barges (flat-bottomed cargo boats) stationed in the sea. Three provided accommodations in containers and other modular buildings.
Reports of poor living conditions have even reached overseas. Last month, the Philippines' Department of Migrant Workers sent a team to investigate a seaweed processing factory in Wando, Jeonnam.
At the nearby port I visited that day, seaweed farming boats were densely docked, and it was easy to see floating structures that resembled shantytowns on the water. Various seaweed farming tools and discarded seaweed activators were piled up throughout the harbor.
Most seaweed processing factories were closed, but houses that serve as accommodations for factory workers were visible next to the factory. There were LPG gas cylinders outside, and the walls showed such severe mold that a smell wafted up.
A foreign worker I met on-site said, "Before the seaweed farming season, I primarily work in the fields, but the house is small and hot, so it's better outside. At least my conditions are better than those working on the islands." In the outskirts of the island where the seaweed farm is located, single-story temporary houses stood in a row.
According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, last year's seaweed export amount was $997 million (about 1.43 trillion won), exceeding 1 trillion won for two consecutive years. Known as the 'black semiconductor,' seaweed is the top Korean seafood export item. Jeonnam is responsible for more than half of the world's seaweed production.
A Jeonnam official said, "We continually contemplate improvements to the safety of seasonal workers, broker issues, and working conditions, but it's difficult to support undocumented immigrants due to the lack of legal grounds." They also mentioned that they are regularly conducting on-site assessments, providing human rights training for employers, and expanding illegal human rights reporting centers relating to forced labor.
A maritime police official said, "There are hardly any reports made by either employers or undocumented immigrants because they know they will be caught if their identities are exposed. Also, since the seaweed farming workplaces are in the middle of the ocean, there are limits to conducting crackdowns."
The head of Migrant Rights Center for All stated, "There is a need to revise the wage system, working conditions, and living environments to prevent forced labor," and emphasized, "Particularly, there must be efforts to reduce issues related to unlicensed sea farms and other unregulated supply chains."
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