The Ministry of Employment and Labor discovered 89 corporations that owed a total of 14.4 billion won in wages to 5,692 workers last year. Among the identified corporations, 75 have cleared the unpaid wages, but 13 corporations have reportedly continued to withhold wages from 2,901 workers. Accordingly, the Ministry plans to prosecute employers who have not paid their workers.
On the 5th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced the results of its planned supervision, which suspects habitual wage delays among certain corporations.
This planned supervision targeted 120 corporations from December of last year to February of this year. The target corporations are those suspected of habitual wage delays based on anonymous tips and incident analysis.
The corporations identified by the Ministry for wage delays number 89. It has been confirmed that 7 out of 10 corporations suspected of wage delays have actually delayed wages. These corporations failed to pay a total of 14.4 billion won on time to 5,692 workers, including wages and severance pay.
According to the Ministry, among the corporations identified for wage delays, 75 have paid the owed wages to workers. Consequently, 2,901 workers received a total of 5.3 billion won in wages and severance pay.
However, 13 corporations continue to withhold wages from workers even after being identified by the Ministry. Among these are companies employing people with disabilities who have not paid the wages and severance pay for 231 individuals whose wages fall below the minimum wage.
As a result, the Ministry has determined that these employers lack the willingness to pay the owed wages to workers and has proceeded with legal action. The Ministry plans to refer these employers to the prosecution on charges of violating labor standards and the Act on the Guarantee of Workers' Retirement Benefits.
Additionally, a correction order was issued for one business site that was found to delay wages, with plans for legal action if it does not comply.
Furthermore, the Ministry confirmed so-called "free labor" cases at 38 business sites targeted in this planned supervision. Free labor refers to not paying wages for work actually performed.
Minister Kim Mun-soo stated, "We must reduce the number of workers suffering from wage delays, a serious antisocial crime, even by one more person," and noted, "This year, we will concentrate our labor inspection capabilities to prevent and eradicate wage delays."