Yeongam Pig Farm Owner Arrested for Repeated Assault and Wage Withholding Against Foreign Workers

Habitual Assault of 10 Workers Revealed at Farm
Wage Arrears of 260 Million Won and Even Confinement

A man in his 40s who owns a livestock farm in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province, has been arrested after routinely assaulting foreign workers and withholding their wages.

The Mokpo branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on April 28 that it had arrested a pig farm owner, identified as Mr. A (43), on charges of violating the Labor Standards Act. Mr. A is accused of repeatedly assaulting 10 foreign workers, including Mr. B (27), a Nepali national who worked at the farm from June last year to February this year.

Yonhap News

The investigation found that Mr. A slapped and hit the workers on the head, and in some cases, locked them in the office restroom overnight. One Nepali worker lost consciousness due to the assault, but Mr. A tried to cover up the incident by forcing the worker to sign a statement, disguised as self-harm, promising to transfer him to another workplace.

In addition, Mr. A paid wages below the minimum wage and failed to provide severance pay and overtime allowances, resulting in a total of about 260 million won in unpaid wages owed to 62 foreign workers.

The case came to light in February this year when Mr. B took his own life in the farm dormitory. Migrant worker rights groups pointed out Mr. A's ongoing harassment, prompting investigations by the police and labor authorities. Separately, the police have also sent Mr. A to prosecutors without detention on charges of coercing workers to alter their employment contracts.

This case once again highlights the harsh conditions and lack of protection faced by foreign workers in vulnerable environments, raising questions about whether it will spur structural reforms.

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