Fugitive wage thief caught after decade abroad; 2.8 billion won in violations uncovered
Search and seizure operations target foreign worker deaths, major collapse accident
Special bonuses awarded to 28 divisions across labor and industrial safety
The Ministry of Employment and Labor honored employees Monday for recovering 154.6 billion won ($114 million) in unpaid wages through a nationwide wage-complaint hotline and for securing the arrest of a suspect who had evaded authorities abroad for a decade. Officials who conducted aggressive investigations — including search and seizure operations — into the deaths of foreign workers and a major building collapse were also among those recognized.
The ministry held a special performance award ceremony Monday at the Seoul Metropolitan Employment and Labor Agency, saying the honors were intended to provide fitting recognition to employees who had delivered results that citizens could feel directly in the areas of labor rights protection and industrial accident prevention.
A total of 24 civil servants and 28 divisions in the labor and industrial safety fields were selected. In the labor category, 16 civil servants and 19 divisions were recognized; in the industrial safety category, 8 civil servants and 9 divisions.
In the labor category, standout achievements centered on tackling large-scale wage theft. The Seoul Southern District Office's dedicated Homeplus wage-recovery task force ran a nationwide complaint intake channel and led the recovery of 154.6 billion won in unpaid wages, bonuses and severance pay.
The Seongnam District Office's senior investigation team tracked down a suspect who had fled overseas for 10 years after withholding wages, secured his arrest and recovered 270 million won in unpaid pay. The Daegu Metropolitan Office's wide-area labor standards inspection division conducted a joint labor and industrial safety inspection of construction companies, uncovering illegal subcontracting and 2.8 billion won in unpaid wages.
Investigations and inspections using digital forensics and AI were also recognized. The Gyeonggi Province Metropolitan Office's wide-area labor standards inspection division operated a "wide-area AI investigation unit" and developed an in-house inspection checklist app to improve the efficiency of oversight work.
Inspectors at the Seoul Gwanak District Office used digital forensics on computers and mobile phones to uncover and rectify 560 million won in unpaid overtime. Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Inspector Park Jun-seo identified a suspect's actual place of residence by conducting a search and seizure of delivery service order records, enabling the suspect's arrest.
Also honored were Yangsan District Office Inspector Kim Seok-jin, who led the direct recovery of 430 million won from a 600 million won wage-theft case involving a large number of female workers, and Seoul Metropolitan Agency Inspector Choi So-yeon, who processed 187 complaints of workplace harassment and sexual harassment at media organizations and child-care facilities.
In the industrial safety category, evaluators recognized both targeted prevention work tailored to regional and sector-specific risks and the results of serious accident investigations. The Busan Metropolitan Office's construction industrial accident prevention division conducted regular patrols of small worksites and joint inspections with public project owners, cutting construction-sector fatalities in its jurisdiction from 26 the previous year to 7. The Gyeonggi Province Metropolitan Office and Goyang District Office identified high-risk industries prone to industrial accidents — including waste collection and processing and logistics — and carried out region-specific prevention inspections.
Gangwon Province District Office Inspector Ko Gyeong-eun conducted a search and seizure at the scene of a foreign worker's fatal accident, uncovering illegal subcontracting, evidence tampering and attempts to conceal the industrial accident. Gwangju Metropolitan Office Inspector Jo Gi-hun led the initial response and search and seizure operation following a major library collapse, establishing the contracting structure and securing the arrest of those responsible. Gyeonggi Province Metropolitan Office Inspector Gu Jin-gyeong carried out planned inspections at two workplaces where foreign workers had been assaulted and investigated allegations of industrial accident concealment at a large logistics center.
Improvements to industrial accident prevention systems were also recognized. Daegu Metropolitan Office Inspector Kim Jun-yeon independently developed a mobile safety inspection app called "Today's Safety," equipped with bilingual support and an AI real-time consultation function, and distributed it to small businesses. Yangsan District Office Inspector Son Hui-ju produced and distributed a model safety and health management framework for social welfare facilities, aimed at improving the effectiveness of accident prevention efforts for foreign workers and immigrant women.
Son Pil-hun, the ministry's planning and coordination director, thanked employees for their efforts in resolving issues that directly affect people's lives. "We will continue to support the principle that special achievements deserve special rewards, so that this becomes embedded in our organizational culture," he said.
fact0514@heraldcorp.com
