Fifty-nine migrant workers who work or worked for 29 subcontractors at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan shipyard have filed a group complaint seeking unpaid wages. They allege that contracts submitted to immigration authorities promised pay of at least 70% of the previous year’s per-capita gross national income during their first three years in Korea, while actual wages were closer to the minimum wage.
Labor groups estimate the claimed shortfall at about 870 million won in total, or roughly 14.7 million won per worker, and are calling for an examination of contracts and payroll records. Some companies are also accused of requiring separate side agreements, allegations that labor authorities must investigate before individual liabilities and any responsibility beyond the subcontractors can be determined.