Migrant workers face nine Ds

By Lairam Vapual

The Justice Ministry's recent announcement that it was delaying the crackdown on migrant laborers working at small manufacturing companies gave little comfort to the frightened guest workers. The message was nothing less than a wake-up call signaling the incoming storm after a moment of calm. Regrettably, the decision is an outcome of egocentric reasoning.

First, the ministry has reached this decision not out of consideration for the weary migrant workers but out of fear of labor shortages. The government is worried that manpower shortages might have a negative impact on the country's manufacturing sector, which accounts for 35 percent of its gross domestic product.

Second, the temporary delay is a result of the government's inability to provide enough forces for the massive manhunt for an estimated 120,000 aliens. Compassion for the plight of the exhausted workers is certainly not a factor. The justice minister said earlier, "We have our limits. ..The government will start its crackdown on these sectors a little later." But it would be irrational of the government to let the aliens go on with their work only to be arrested "a little later." This unsound plan only highlights the selfishness of the govenment.

The Ministry of Labor, in the wake of the clampdown, also downplayed fears among manufacturing companies that an exodus of migrant workers would bring about a severe labor shortage. The ministry cited an inflow of newcomers from abroad and more Korean laborers rushing to construction sites and small companies.

But the truth is that a number of small companies have been gravely disappointed over manpower shortages since Nov. 16 with no rush of Korean laborers in sight. Now, let us face the truth. It is hard for many Koreans to seek employment with these companies just to receive relatively low wages for hard manual work that they usually shun.

Besides, these small companies are not yet ready to take in local laborers simply because employing them will require hgiher wages, limited working hours, fair treatment, respect for labor rights, medical insurance and so on. For migrant workers, the abovementioned rights are virtually nonexistent. For some smaller companies, therefore, hiring Korean laborers at present means loss of profit.

Of course, there are few newcomers from abraod being employed by some companies. But there have been complaints about a lack of expertise resulting in low quality and low productivity. No wonder the employers are deeply worried about being unable to meet the growing demand for their products.

It is very regrettable that the government has failed to put itself in the shoes of the guest workers. Seoul has been too selfish to be sympathetic to their voices. Now, think about the plight of the alien workers. The so-called Ds -- dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs -- have become a symbol of humiliation for the blue-collar workers. Worse than that, people often fail to see the other serious 3Ds these workers have been subjected to -- deprivation of human rights, degradation of human personality and depression.

The migrant laborers are vulnerable to basic human rights violations such as verbal and physical abuse, forced labor, confinement, prolonged working hours, low or unpaid wages and industrial accidents. These violations result in loss of self-respect and self-confidence, which easily leads to depression.

In fact, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which Korea ratified in 1990, states in Article 7 that signatories should provide just and favorable conditions of work; fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal value; a decent living; safe and healthy working conditions; rest, leisure and reasonably limited working hours; periodic holidays with pay; and remuneration for public holidays.

But what is really happening is that most migrant workers, regardless of their status, work for more than 10 hours a day -- sometimes 12 -- and work two Sundays of every month even though the pay for overtime is not high and many cannot properly obtain their wages.

It is a little contradictory for Seoul to be sending thousands of troops to another part of the world to "protect the rights" of the people there while at the same time the rights of migrant workers within its territory continue to be violated.

The downtrodden migrant laborers are now being threatened with three more Ds -- detention, deportation and denial of re-entry. Any distressed laborer who can no longer bear the collective pressure of all these nine Ds may choose to face only one D -- death. That was exactly what two migrant laborers did by committing suicide on the eve of the intense manhunt. During the first round of the crackdown, which lasted 10 days, more than 980 migrants were detained and 616 deproted, according to the Ministry of Labor.

For the remaining desperate laborers, no salvation from on high has been offered so far and their unceasing prayers for deliverance still remain unanswered. Now that the second round of a merciless 10-day operation is approaching, the defenseless migrant workers are once again bracing themselves for a long, horrible nightmare.

Second Article (Dec. 6, 2003)
The Korea Herald (A Reader's View)