S. Korean gov’t cracks down on migrant workers

 S. Korean gov’t cracks down on migrant workers

“The growing number of undocumented OFWs worldwide is indicative of the ongoing crisis of forced migration and systemic economic crisis in the country.” – Garry Martinez, Migrante International
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com

In solidarity with other migrant organizations and labor advocacy groups, the Katipunan ng mga Samahang Migranteng Manggagawa sa Korea (Kasamma-Ko) expressed outrage over what it said was the Korean government’s intensifying crackdown against migrant workers.

According to Kasamma-Ko chairman Pol Par, the Korean government’s Bureau of Immigration is committing grave human rights violations.

According to reports from PressTV, South Korean migrants led by trade unions and migrant groups have been holding daily rallies and other forms of protests against the Seoul government’s month-long crackdown against undocumented migrants. Migrant groups and allied organizations charged the Korean government of “hunting workers down like criminals.”

As per 2009 migrant labor statistics, there are roughly 680,000 migrant workers living in South Korea who work in a number of industries, in particular, manufacturing, construction, and in services such as restaurants and entertainment.

A lawyer with the Korean Public Interest Lawyers’ Group YunJi-Young said that despite the South Korean government’s declaration that it was only doing research into the working conditions of migrant workers, the actual procedures it was implementing constituted a crackdown against illegal migrants. Ji-Young said it was likely that the crackdowns will result to various violations against individual and human rights, among them violations against personal liberty..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/11/12/s-korean-govt-cracks-down-on-migrant-workers/