Sharing the pain of migrant workers

By Lairam Vapual

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, in a recent interview with a local newspaper, hinted at his concern over the fate of thousands of Pakistani workers in Korea when he said, "I am sure that the government of Korea would evolve an appropriate framework for the employment of Pakistani workers." There is no doubt that every head of state whose migrant workers are in Korea would also express the same concern if they had a chance to do so. A number of foreign diplomats and ambassadors are also worried about the ongoing massive crackdown on migrant workers.

Korea welcomed hundreds of thousands of migrant workers during the
1980s and 90s when it faced a labor shortage problem. Over the past ten years the Korean government has been enjoying cheap labor offered by these workers who dendure long working hours doing dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs.

There have been many reports about infringements on these workers' human rights. And many workers have not been paid consistently and fairly. Moreover, migrant workers have been subjected to harsh treatment, contempt and even violence. Some have been reduced to tear in sorrow for their life in Korea. Only few workers have the courage to complain about their cases to the authorities since most of them have no legal status.

While we should praise the government for its plan to introduce a new work permit system starting from August 2004, we should also take a careful look at the way it handles matters concerning migrant workers during the transition period. There are good reasons for most workers to remain in the shadows. Since Seoul's announcement on the crackdown, many Korean employers have been deliberately delaying payment of wages for their employees. The official figure of the total unpaid wages stands at 3.1 billion won, but the actual amount could be much higher because there still remain a number of unreported cases. The government said that it would take care of the money problem. But in reality, it is easier said than done.

Another problem is that although the government promised to grant re-entry within three months to some specified workers, the workers themselves have little hope for coming back to Korea considering the enormous amount of money they have to pay to brokers or job agencies in their own countries. The usually complicated legal process for visa is also a big headache. And in country like Burma, it normally takes six months to get a passport.

Amidst all of this, it is embarrassing to hear reports that some employers, who had promised their employees shelter, were quick to drive them away at the last minute, just hours before the crackdown began. With no one to turn to for assistance, many desperate workers simply feel betrayed.

From the moral point of view, these employers should be willing to help their distressed workers since they are very willing to exploit them. The real attitude and the true nature of an individual, as well as a government, can be best seen when the chips are down, as now.

In fact, these workers took many risks to come to Korea to save more lives at home. It is not just for a better job or a better living that they may possibly be putting their very lives on the line. For most of them, it is a matter of survival for their families.

In this interdependent globalized age, Seoul should have more regards for these migrant workers, whose cheap resources it has been enjoying for years, by adopting a more reasonable attitude and a lenient policy for them than planning a roundup during the transition period.

Has Seoul forgotten how much the foreign workforce has contributed to its economy? It's not too late for Seoul to ponder and do some soul-searching.

When we heard reports that many Korean residents in Japan were treated harshly, we shared their bitter pain over discrimination. We were deeply moved by the deaths of two Korean teenagers last year in a military vehicle accident. When a subway accident claimed the lives of many Koreans in Daegu, we mourned with the nation. The recent suicides committed by two migrant workers, a Sri Lankan and a Bangladeshi, also greatly saddened us, reminding us of the death of a labor martyr Chun Tae-il some three decades ago. We sincerely hope that the Korean government feels the same way.

We always regard the Republic of Korea as one of the most developed countries in Asia. Thus, Korea is supposed to act as a truly advanced nation in handling delicate and sensitive matters like this one. The true maturity of the Peninsula will be seen in how it responds to the desperate and helpless cries of the weary migrant workers.