President Lee Orders Severe Punishment for Unpaid Wages; Labor Minister to Disclose List of Offending Companies

President Lee Jae-myung is reviewing the agenda materials at the Cabinet meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 2nd. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On September 2, President Lee Jaemyung issued a stern warning regarding the issue of unpaid wages, stating, "If employers are fully capable of paying but deliberately withhold wages, they must be punished severely." The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that, starting next month, it will consider measures to publicly disclose the list of companies with unpaid wages and to abolish the requirement for a victim's complaint in prosecuting such cases.

President Lee made these remarks while presiding over a Cabinet meeting at the Yongsan Presidential Office, after receiving a report from Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon emphasizing the need for a strong crackdown on wage arrears.

President Lee pointed out, "According to the statistics, 70% of companies that have failed to pay wages end up doing it again," adding, "I myself have had a significant portion of my salary withheld in the past, and this must not happen." He strongly criticized the current situation, saying, "The penalties are too lenient. This should be considered a serious crime."

President Lee also highlighted the severity of unpaid wages for foreign workers, sharply criticizing it as "a national disgrace." He stated, "Some employers intentionally do this, knowing that if a foreign worker is forcibly deported, they can get away with not paying the wages forever," and directed the Ministry of Justice to "consider suspending the departure of foreign workers who are owed wages and allowing them the opportunity to stay until they are paid."

In response, Minister Kim Younghoon reported, "Just as we recognize the value of human life, we must not tolerate wage theft," and added, "In October, we plan to publicly disclose the list of offenders and implement measures that do not require a victim's complaint for prosecution."