The Ministry of Justice on Nov. 6 launched a system to exempt foreign workers with unpaid wages from deportation through a revision of the Immigration Act. Shown is the ministry compound at Government Complex-Gwacheon in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do Province. (Ministry of Justice)

By Aisylu Akhmetzianova

Foreign workers with unpaid wages are now exempt from deportation even if they stay past their legal sojourn periods.

The Ministry of Justice on Nov. 6 launched a system to exempt such laborers with unpaid wages from reporting their visa status after an amendment to the enforcement rules of the Immigration Act.

The law previously required central and local government officials to report illegal stays by foreign nationals to a relevant immigration or government office in the course of the officials performing their duties.

This caused foreign workers suffering from problems like unpaid salaries to hesitate reporting their cases for fear of deportation.

Thus the ministry revised the law to exempt labor inspectors from the need to notify authorities of foreign laborers who have suffered harm like unpaid wages.

"The implementation of this system has created an environment in which foreign workers can expect protection of their basic rights," Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho said. "We will keep actively responding to problems at workplaces to protect the rights and interests of the socially vulnerable."

aisylu@korea.kr