Why are human rights violations of foreign seasonal workers repeated?

The foreign seasonal worker system was introduced in 2015 to address labor shortages in rural and fishing communities, but it has been operated based on internal directives from the Ministry of Justice without a clear legal basis. This has led to persistent human rights violations such as broker involvement and unpaid wages.

Wage exploitation and passport seizure, damage revealed by statistics

The National Human Rights Commission confirmed cases of broker involvement, passport seizure, and wage exploitation in the process of sending seasonal workers from the Philippines and Korea in 2023. Reported cases included 49 instances of wage exploitation, 7 instances of bank account seizure, and assaults/unpaid wages.

Structural causes: legal loopholes and poor management

• Management and supervision were insufficient as the system operated under directives rather than laws.

• There was a lack of legal measures to penalize broker involvement and illegal intermediation.

• The reporting and support system for victim protection was inadequate.

Systematization and improvement, but what challenges remain?

On July 3, 2025, an amendment to the Immigration Act was passed, establishing a legal basis for the seasonal worker system. The amendment includes protective measures such as broker penalties and the designation of specialized agencies. However, even after the legal revision, complementary tasks remain, including effective supervision, victim protection, and transparent information disclosure.

Institutional trust and surveillance require public attention

The foreign seasonal worker system must be operated in a structure that resolves labor shortages in rural and fishing communities while also protecting the human rights of workers. Moving forward, public oversight of the system's execution process and continuous efforts for institutional improvement must be carried out in parallel.