Gyeonggi Province to Launch Intensive Wage Arrears Consultations Ahead of Chuseok, Deploying 120 Labor Attorneys

Consultations Available Throughout September 14-23 at Suwon Station
On-site Support Also Offered at Uijeongbu and Chunui Stations
Free Assistance Provided from Labor Ministry Complaint
to Application and Receipt of Substitute Payments

In anticipation of the Chuseok holiday, Gyeonggi Province will launch intensive consultations and support for safeguarding the rights of workers struggling with unpaid wages.

Exterior view of Gyeonggi Provincial Government Building. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

On September 3, Gyeonggi Province announced that it would conduct a wage arrears consultation campaign at major subway stations within the province from September 14 to 23. If the consultations reveal that a complaint to the Ministry of Employment and Labor is necessary, 120 community labor attorneys affiliated with the province will provide support with all required procedures for free until the back wages are received.

At Suwon Station, the wage arrears consultations and promotional activities will continue throughout the period from September 14 to 23. At Uijeongbu Station and Bucheon Chunui Station, mobile consultation sessions will be held three times each. The Uijeongbu consultations will be coordinated in cooperation with the Gyeonggi Northern Labor and Human Rights Center, while those at Chunui Station in Bucheon will be organized in partnership with the Bucheon Non-regular Workers Support Center.

If, during the consultation, it is determined that a formal complaint to the Ministry of Employment and Labor is required, a community labor attorney will assist with all processes, from filing the complaint to applying for back pay. In cases where the employer is financially unable to pay wages, the attorneys will also support applications and receipt procedures for the ‘simplified substitute payment’ system, where the government pays workers a portion of the wages owed on behalf of the employer.

The community labor attorney system in Gyeonggi Province offers free counseling and rights protection to workers who suffer labor rights violations, such as unpaid wages or unfair dismissal, but cannot receive assistance due to lack of information or financial difficulties. The province operates the program by appointing certified labor attorneys from the local area.

During the intensive consultation period, Gyeonggi Province will report workplaces with severe wage arrears to the Gyeonggi Regional Ministry of Employment and Labor and request labor inspections.

The province also plans to introduce additional policies to further reduce wage arrears following the implementation of local government labor inspections in December.

Workers seeking consultations can apply through the Gyeonggi Province Center for Workers’ Rights main phone number or via the Smart Community Labor Attorney platform.

Im Seyoon, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Center for Workers’ Rights, stated, “It is important not to stop at consultation, but to act swiftly to ensure that workers actually receive their unpaid wages,” adding, “We will provide uninterrupted support from consultation to Labor Ministry complaint filings and receipt of substitute payments and will actively respond in cooperation with the labor authorities in workplaces with severe wage arrears.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.