The entrusted operator of the Masan Gapo New Port Terminal in Masanhappo-gu, Changwon, Gyeongnam, has demanded action, claiming years of harassment and unfair treatment by the project developer.
On the 3rd, Masan New Port Operations, the entrusted operator of the Gapo New Port Terminal, held a press conference at the Changwon City Hall Press Center and asserted, "The project developer, Masan iPort, has committed various human rights violations, unfair practices, and unreasonable business customs."
They stated, "Since September 2018, we have been operating under a terminal management and operation entrustment contract with Masan iPort Co., Ltd., the project developer, up to the present."
They further claimed, "iPort has weaponized the management and operation entrustment contract signed with Masan New Port Operations as if it were a slave contract, engaging in abuse of authority, unfair instructions and demands, interference in business processes, and even verbal abuse mocking and belittling entrusted company employees outside of work-related matters."
They added, "There have also been violations of relevant laws such as the management and operation entrustment contract, the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act, and the Fair Transactions in Subcontracting Act."
Officials from the terminal operator of Masan Gaposhin Port in Changwon, Gyeongnam, are holding a press conference. [Photo by Lee Seryeong]
The operator's side reported that iPort engaged in verbal abuse, such as saying, "If your head is bad, your body will suffer," and "Are you lacking?"
They also pointed out cases where iPort called operator employees at home after working hours to scold or reprimand them, forced the operator to draft official documents blaming them for the project developer's poor work performance, and deliberately delayed issuing tax invoices.
Despite the warehouses within the terminal being owned by the project developer, the operator was required to bear part of the construction costs, or faced financial difficulties when the entrusted service fees were not paid on time.
Other cited examples included a project developer employee exclusively using a women's restroom stall and instructing, via internal phone, that an operator employee pick up a single piece of toilet paper found on the restroom floor.
According to the operator, more than 10 out of a total of about 70 operator employees have reported suffering from such unfair practices.
The operator stated, "In July, we conveyed the employees' position twice to the CEO of Masan iPort and also to the major shareholder, HDC Hyundai Development Company, but HDC Group has consistently remained unresponsive. Even after two further requests for an apology and corrective action in August, iPort employees and the CEO have ignored them."
"Now, only a document submission box is left in the hallway in front of the office, and they refuse to meet face-to-face, showing a closed-off attitude," they lamented. "It feels as if they do not even want to associate with us, which only adds to our sense of despair."
They also questioned, "Isn't the goal for iPort and New Port Operations to work together to enhance the competitiveness and business performance of Gapo New Port Terminal, increase sales and profitability, and achieve mutual growth and development? We work day and night to attract even one more customer and earn even a little more, so is it necessary to demoralize employees by making sarcastic remarks like 'It doesn't matter if no ships come in'?"
The operator demanded a sincere apology from Masan iPort and its shareholders, as well as personnel measures including the dismissal of the CEO and other related parties.
They also urged that the unfair and unreasonable clauses in the management and operation entrustment contract highlighted that day be improved through an external professional agency.
The operator stated that they plan to pursue legal action after conducting a legal review.
In response, iPort stated, "All claims by the entrusted operator are groundless and distorted," and added, "We will review the raised allegations and determine our future course of action accordingly."
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