A worker collects salt at a field of Taepyung Salt Farm in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, southwestern South Korea. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
July 2 (Asia Today) -- The South Korean government said Thursday it will strengthen field inspections and interagency cooperation to eliminate assault, forced labor and wage theft involving workers at salt farms.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said they will establish a joint response system with the National Police Agency and local governments.
The move follows a recent case in Yeonggwang County, South Jeolla Province, involving the alleged assault and labor exploitation of a worker with an intellectual disability.
Salt farms are particularly vulnerable to labor abuses because of their harsh working conditions and isolation, which can make external monitoring and protection difficult.
