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

"As Korea Optical High Tech in Gumi withdraws, "workers need protection from foreign investment,"" 26 August 2023

As the liquidation process of Korea Optical High Tech, a Japanese-invested company in Gumi, Gyeongbuk, proceeds, labor unions are calling for measures to protect domestic workers from foreign investment. They have been protesting against the unilateral liquidation.

[...] The Metal Workers' Union said, "The fire [accident] led to the closure of Korea Optical High Tech, and the workers did nothing wrong in this process. Workers who have worked for the company for decades lost their jobs overnight, and there are no laws and systems in place to protect them." "The company is trying to forcibly evict the workers. [Government] institutions must intervene in such situations that pose a threat to their safety," they demanded of the Prime Minister's Office.

" Korea Optical High Tech's achievement of 1 trillion won in annual sales in the early 2010s was made at the expense of workers who worked long hours at minimum wage levels," workers said during protest, adding, "after the fire, we were offered compensation money and told that we would be laid off if we did not accept it. Thirteen workers remained at the factory to protest the unilateral liquidation."

[...].