South Korea Discovers Labor Violations, Will Now Fund Solutions
The Ministry of Employment and Labor, in two 'targeted' rounds, bravely 'uncovered' what many already knew: rampant exploitation, including 1.7 billion won ($1.16 million) in wage theft. This isn't groundbreaking journalism; it's the government admitting a problem only after a pro-active inspection. These 'violations' are standard operating procedure when capitalist enterprise meets vulnerable
populations. One might wonder if these 'reforms' are about fixing the systemic issues or merely placating international public relations optics. The violations are, after all, simply identified. Actually rectifying them, reimbursing the 1.7 billion won, or, heaven forbid, punishing the corporate offenders responsible for physical assault and rampant wage theft often takes a backseat to the
comforting narrative of 'government oversight.'