Unable to Visit Korea for a While... Two Filipino Domestic Workers Who 'Left Without Permission' Deported

Expressed intention to return during investigation
Entry to Korea not allowed for a certain period

Foreign workers from the Philippines participating in the pilot project for foreign domestic workers arriving through Incheon International Airport on August 6. [Airport Photojournalists]

Two Filipino domestic workers who entered the country to participate in the pilot project for foreign domestic workers and were caught after leaving their accommodation without permission have returned to their home country.

According to the Ministry of Justice on the 14th, the two Filipino domestic workers were deported to the Philippines on the 10th.

They did not object to the deportation notice from immigration authorities and reportedly expressed their desire to return home during the investigation process.

The immigration authorities have prohibited them from entering Korea for a certain period in the future.

They entered the country on August 6th for the pilot project for foreign domestic workers promoted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor, received 160 hours of job training and Korean language learning over four weeks, and started working from the 3rd of last month.

However, during the Chuseok holiday, they left their accommodation on the 15th of last month and did not return, losing contact.

Prior to this, the Immigration Special Investigation Unit of the Busan Immigration Office under the Ministry of Justice, together with the police, began tracking their whereabouts, confirmed that they were illegally employed in Busan, and secured their custody at the accommodation on the 4th.

It is not known how they explained their reasons for leaving without permission.

However, the city and the Ministry of Employment and Labor have prepared improvement measures for the project, including shortening the salary payment cycle, minimizing travel distance and time, and abolishing the 10 p.m. curfew check, prompted by the unauthorized departure incident.