Workers conned into illegal employment in South Korea

SEOUL (JP): Hundreds of Indonesian laborers have been tricked into working here instead of being given the technical training that they were promised.

"There are about 700 Indonesian workers in Korea. They came here to learn a skill or join other job-related programs, but most of them found themselves as common laborers in factories," said Indonesian Ambassador for South Korea M. Singgih Hadipranowo.

He made the announcement here over the weekend after the inauguration of the Dharma Wanita (Civil Servantss Wives Organization) at the embassy.

According to the ambassador, the workers were brought to Korea by certain people who disguised them as apprentices or trainees.

"I advise those who want to work abroad to demand a clear explanation on their rights and duties. I know that there are foreigners in Indonesia who want to take advantage of them," Singgih said.

He did not elaborate on whether they were paid well or if they received any protection from the local authorities in spite of their illegal status.

He said that now that Korean people are earning higher salaries, they no longer want to handle certain jobs they describe as "the three Ds", meaning work that is dirty, difficult or dangerous.

"That's why they bring in many foreign laborers, even though it is illegal to 'import' workers," said Singgih.

The foreign workers usually enter the country illegally, meaning that they are smuggled in.

"Difficulties may occur when they arrange to go home. For instance, they may earn about two million wons after working for two years, but they should pay a fine of one million wons when the immigration office discovered that they have been staying without a permit. Consequently, they may bring only one million wons home," he said.

Acknowledgement

However, the South Korean government has acknowledged the matter and urged companies to promote foreign workers to live in the country legally, he said.

Singgih said despite their illegal status the Indonesian workers actually admitted that they were happy working here.

"They told me so when I met with them and asked them about the matter in a halal bihalal gathering in March."

Hadipranowo also said that many Koreans, on the other hand, wish to work in Indonesia. They are now studying Bahasa Indonesia for their future.

"In Pusan University of Foreign Studies in Pusan, the second largest business city after Seoul, there have been 50 students studying Bahasa Indonesia or Malay each year for the last four years," he said.

He said that when he asked why they were studying Indonesian, the students said that they wished to work in Indonesia because they felt that it was a promising job market. (icn)