Migrants from Uzbekistan in South Korea complain of bonded labor conditions

Migrants from Uzbekistan in South Korea complain of bonded labor conditions and extortion of money in the form of fines. This is reported by the South Korean Internet portal Pressian.

Uzbek citizens who arrived in South Korea on E-9 type work visas face a harsh system of fines. If they try to change their employer without the permission of the Migration Agency, they are fined two thousand dollars for each remaining month of their contract. The accumulated debt remains, even if the termination of the employment relationship is initiated by the employer himself. Human rights groups regard this practice as economic coercion and a form of forced labor.

This state of affairs led to the tragedy that occurred on July 18 at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan: a 26-year-old worker from Uzbekistan died under a lifting mechanism. According to colleagues, the young man has repeatedly asked to be transferred to another job due to non-compliance with safety rules and low wages. However, he did not dare to quit, fearing big financial problems.

At a meeting with the leadership of the Uzbek diplomatic mission, over a hundred employees expressed disagreement with the termination of contracts with key subcontractors. Even in spite of possible improvements in production performance and financial advantages, the conditions under which employees are afraid of fines, deprive them of the right to safety and put their lives at risk cannot be acceptable.