"Rights commission seeks to protect rights of undocumented workers to receive back pay,"

The government should eliminate the requirement for labor officials to report undocumented foreigners to the immigration office for deportation, in order to safeguard the rights of those who are owed unpaid wages, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea said Tuesday.

In a statement, the commission said introducing such a measure would be crucial for protecting from exploitation migrant workers who are in the country unlawfully. Many of these workers avoid seeking government assistance for unpaid wages due to the fear of deportation.

This follows the commission’s investigation into a metal-processing factory owner, who was accused by an undocumented migrant worker of failing to pay over 10 million won ($7,500) in wages...

“There’s a need to protect the rights of undocumented migrant workers like him during the investigations by labor officials,” the commission said. “To prevent similar incidents, the National Human Rights Commission urges the Ministry of Justice to revise the rules concerning reporting obligations.”...

“The prompt recovery of the right (to receive back wages) is critical for migrant workers, as unpaid wages directly threaten the livelihood of workers as well as their families,” the commission said. “If government officials continue to be obligated to report undocumented migrant workers, the risk of deportation could lead many to give up the redress process or to an increase in the number of employers seeking to exploit their vulnerable situations.”

However, according to rights activists, even if the ministry complies with this recommendation, it is unlikely to lead to a significant reduction in such malpractices...