Protestschreiben an das Justizministerium

Dear Mrs. Kang,
We are writing to you because we are deeply concerned with the government's stance with regard to migrant workers in South Korea.

As you are well aware, the migrant workforce greatly contributes to the South Korean economy as they provide small and medium sized manufacturers with invaluable labour. But the vast majority of these foreign workers are undocumented, bearing direct testiment to the unfairness of the trainee system under which these workers came to South Korea to work. The new EPS (Employee Permit System), which will soon be brought in as a complement to the trainee system does not qualitatively change the reality of the situation at all. When scrutinized, it appears to be essentially the same as the unfair trainee system. It still puts a limit to the worker's duration in South Korea and does not allow the worker the freedom to change his/her place of work if so desired. Moreover, the provisions in the EPS do not grant migrant workers the right to strike. It is our opinion that the denial of these freedoms is tantamount to labour repression. Last but not least, the EPS will only apply to workers entering South Korea after it is implemented. The estimated 260,000 migrant workers currently in South Korea are destined to remain illegal and without permits under this new system. As such, they are vulnerable to persecution and abuse through the threat of deportation. Migrant workers currently in South Korea have a right to their livelihoods and a right to be treated as dignified human beings.

In the past, South Korea imported and exported migrant labour with little regard to these worker's humanity and dignity. Like clockwork, the government launches an annual repressive crackdown on illegal workers. But the fact that 3/4 of migrant workers are illegal despite the urgent desire on the part of these workers to gain legal status in South Korea speaks for itself: the current system is grossly unjust. These workers are not criminals but they are being forced to break the law because of the impossible and unjust conditions placed on them by government labour policy. Ostensibly, the EPS is being brought in to improve matters and legalize migrants but in the end it fails miserably. Why prohibit stays of longer than three years? (Is the South Korean government afraid that the longer they stay, the more fully aware they will become of their human rights?) Why ban workers from changing their place of work? (How would you feel if you were prohibited by law to improve your occupational status? Or worse, be under legal obligation to stay in an abusive environment?) Why criminalize collective action? (Workers have the fundamental right to strike if negotiation fails) The EPS shamefully perpetuates South Korea's unfair and draconian attitudes towards migrant workers. As persons concerned about human/worker rights, we implore you to use the power at your disposal to:

• Stop the crackdown
• Legalize migrant workers in a fair manner
• Regard migrants as human beings
• Give them full labor rights
• Give the 5-year working visa

Sincerely,...