[2024 National Audit] 'Filipino Domestic Workers' Spend 90 Minutes Just Moving... Resting Place is a 'Library?'

Half of Two Household Moves... Maximum Travel Time 1 Hour 35 Minutes
Provided Shelters Are Merely 'Public Facilities' Accessible to Everyone

Concerns have been raised about the inadequacy of Seoul City's 'Foreign Domestic Helper' program system. The issue pertains to poor working conditions, and Seoul City is currently pursuing improvement measures such as reforming the wage payment system following a recent worker attrition incident.

According to National Assembly audit data submitted to Han Byung-do, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, among 98 Filipino domestic helpers (total number excluding 2 who left their workplaces), 47?nearly half?work long hours traveling between two households in a day.

Filipino domestic workers participating in the pilot project for foreign domestic workers arrived through Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport on the morning of the 6th and are moving by bus. Photo by Airport Photographers Group

The problem lies in their travel time. Measuring the shortest travel time between workplaces for 47 domestic helpers working at two households per day using the 'Naver Map Public Transit Route Finder' service revealed that the longest travel time was 95 minutes for a helper commuting between Geoyeo-dong, Songpa-gu and Susaek-dong, Eunpyeong-gu. This was followed by 88 minutes (Naebalsan-dong, Gangseo-gu - Godeok-dong, Gangdong-gu), 81 minutes (Sinwol-dong, Yangcheon-gu - Samseong-ro, Gangnam-gu), and 78 minutes (Nambusunhwan-ro, Seocho-gu - Chang-dong, Dobong-gu). Notably, more than half of them, 28 helpers, spend around one hour traveling between workplaces. These calculations were based on 2 p.m. on weekdays, and travel times during rush hours are likely to be longer.

The shelters provided for them were also criticized as inadequate. According to the 'Facilities Available for Foreign Domestic Helpers' data secured by the office of the assembly member, the facilities listed were merely public spaces accessible to anyone, such as libraries, museums, art galleries, and cultural centers located in 25 autonomous districts.

Moreover, under the pretext of a pilot project, domestic helpers' wages were determined solely based on working hours. Although the number of children in the households ranged from one to as many as four, the wages of domestic helpers were paid according to working hours rather than the number of children cared for: ▲2 hours use - 600,000 KRW per month ▲4 hours use - 1,190,000 KRW per month ▲6 hours use - 1,790,000 KRW per month ▲8 hours use - 2,380,000 KRW per month.

Assembly member Han pointed out, "Despite Filipino domestic helpers suffering from long travel times, Seoul City directs them to places like the War Memorial, the Bank of Korea Money Museum, and cultural and sports centers as their shelters," adding, "This indicates that the project is being rushed without sufficient preparation." He continued, "Although an accurate diagnosis of domestic helpers' working conditions and effective measures to improve the problems are necessary, Seoul City and the Ministry of Employment and Labor are irresponsibly shifting responsibility to each other, which exacerbates the issue." He added, "Since Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon initially proposed this project and Seoul City is participating as the operating entity, they must take responsibility and strive to resolve the problems."