Proposal for Legal Amendments to Enhance Human Rights of Workers Including Apartment Security Guards

Seoul District Mayors Association (Chairman Kim Young-jong, Mayor of Jongno-gu) held a meeting at Seoul City Hall on the afternoon of the 26th and unanimously passed a proposal by Park Gyeom-su, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, to amend the law to improve human rights for workers such as security guards in apartment complexes

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] In response to the recent tragic incident involving a security guard at an apartment in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, who suffered assault by residents, the Seoul Metropolitan District Mayors have decided to propose amendments to laws aimed at improving the human rights of workers such as security guards in multi-family housing.

The Seoul Metropolitan District Mayors' Council (Chairman Kim Young-jong, Mayor of Jongno-gu) held a meeting at Seoul City Hall on the afternoon of the 26th and unanimously passed the proposal for "Legal Amendments to Enhance the Human Rights of Workers such as Security Guards in Multi-family Housing," which was suggested by Park Kyum-soo, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu.

At the meeting, Mayor Park pointed out that human rights violations against security guards in multi-family housing due to abuse of power by residents and others are frequent. Although the amendment to the Labor Standards Act includes a clause prohibiting workplace harassment, it excludes cases involving subcontracted employers or actual users such as residents of multi-family housing.

Accordingly, Mayor Park resolved to propose to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport an amendment to the Multi-family Housing Management Act that would impose a reporting obligation to immediately notify the relevant supervisory authorities when cases of human rights violations against workers such as security guards occur.

He also decided to propose to the Ministry of Employment and Labor an amendment to the Labor Standards Act that would define subcontractors’ principals and residents of multi-family housing as having the same status as employers.

Additionally, it was agreed to propose the promotion of projects at the Seoul city level to raise awareness and respect for the human rights of workers in multi-family housing.