ACT Now: Support Imprisoned Vietnamese Migrant Workers in South Korea

From March to April, 2011, ten Vietnamese migrant workers who had worked for Taehung Construction a subcontractor for Hyundai Construction in constructing a container wharf in Incheon, South Korea, were arrested. The prosecution has charged them with “obstruction of business, interfering with the regular business operations of the company, inciting group violence, and assault with a deadly weapon for two walk-outs. The work-outs were the result of long work hours, unjust working conditions and Taehung reneging components of the workers’ employment contract.

These workers worked a 12-hour shift with an hour break seven days a week for a minimum hourly wage of 4,110 KRW (2.6 Euros) even though their employment contract stipulated a five-day work week. Initially the workers were granted three free meals a day but the management informed them that starting from July, 2010, only lunch would be provided free and Taehung would deduct 240,000 KRW (150 Euros) from their monthly wages for breakfast and dinner. Taehung’s actions are in violation of South Korean Labour Standards Act which stipulate one day of rest and the workers’ employment contract

As a result, the workers called on the management for improvements in their working conditions. The company responded by threatening to report them to the Ministry of Labour and have them deported. Due to this callous attitude of the company, the workers conducted a walk-out from July 22 to 25, 2010. The Taehung management responded by only recognizing eleven hours of work even though they worked twelve hours, further angering the workers who conducted another walk-out from January 9 to 10, 2011.

For these actions, the prosecution has charged these workers with “obstruction of business, interfering with the regular business operations of the company, inciting group violence, and assault with a deadly weapon for two walk-outs. The prosecution also claims that the illegal strike caused significant financial losses to Taehung. At the first trial which took place on May 26, the prosecution sought prison sentences ranging from one to three years for the workers. The next hearing is to take place on June 20, 2011.

The Korean Federation of Construction Industry Trade Unions, one of BWI’s affiliates in South Korea has been actively involved in supporting these workers. They along with migrant rights organizations, civil society groups, and human rights organizations have established a support network and currently are collecting petitions that will be submitted to the judge presiding over the case prior to their next trial scheduled for June 20, 2011.