[Unofficial Korean-to-English translation provided by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

"S. Korea: 'Aricell fire incident' linked to illegal outsourcing in manufacturing… 75% of employees unaware of illegal outsourcing regulations", 15 August 2024

… A recent survey has revealed that most workers in the manufacturing sector are unaware that employing dispatched workers for direct production processes is illegal.

Current South Korean dispatch law, Act on The Protection of Temporary Agency Workers, prohibits the use of dispatched workers in direct production processes within the manufacturing industry. The survey found that 75.2% of respondents did not know this practice was illegal, while only 24.8% were aware of the regulations.

The issue of illegal dispatch was brought to the forefront by the major fire at the Aricell factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, in June. Of the 23 people who died in the fire, 20 were identified as dispatched workers from subcontracting firms.

… Kwon Du-seop, an attorney from a workers' rights civil group Workplace Harassment 119, commented, "Hazardous tasks are outsourced, and the primary contractor shifts the responsibility for industrial safety and health measures onto the subcontractors."