The Ministry of Employment and Labor is launching a focused crackdown on wage arrears targeting business sites across the country ahead of the Chuseok holiday.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor noted on the 27th that it will operate a 'focused guidance period for clearing wage arrears' from the 29th to October 2nd for six weeks. This guidance period, usually conducted three weeks before holidays, has been extended to six weeks this year.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor has decided to operate a dedicated channel for reporting wage arrears. A 'dedicated reporting window for wage arrears' will be created on the labor portal, and a dedicated phone line (☎1551-2978) will be set up for direct consultation with labor inspectors.
Each regional employment and labor office will collaborate with agencies such as the police to form a wage arrears SWAT team. They will be deployed on site and guide the clearing process in the event of labor-management conflicts arising from wage arrears. These offices will proactively monitor vulnerable businesses with overdue four major social insurance premiums and frequent reporting incidents, and they plan to link with labor inspections as needed.
Business owners at risk of arrears due to management difficulties will be advised to utilize the 'support project loan system for clearing arrears.' However, it is planned to initiate a criminal investigation against malicious and habitual arrears businesses.
Minister Kim Young-hoon said, "Wage arrears are no different from wage theft or fraud," and emphasized that "the concentrated clearance measures conducted every year before the holidays should not be a one-time action. We will soon announce a joint countermeasure from related ministries that includes fundamental solutions to eradicate wage arrears."