SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - Two Filipino domestic workers participating in a pilot program introduced by the South Korean government and Seoul City have gone missing. The workers left their accommodation on Sept. 15 during the Chuseok holiday and have not returned or made contact since. Authorities are attempting to reach the workers' families in the Philippines and have notified the Philippine Embassy.
The missing workers are part of a group of 100 Filipino domestic helpers who arrived in South Korea on Aug. 6. They received training wages of 2,011,440 won ($1,500) for their first month, with a net pay of 1,471,740 won ($1,100) after deductions. Industry sources speculate that delayed training allowances, lower wages compared to other E-9 visa holders, and uncertainty about employment extension beyond the pilot program's end in February 2024 may have contributed to their disappearance.
Seoul City officials stated, "It is our responsibility to resolve the financial difficulties of Filipino domestic workers who chose to come to Korea, leaving their families behind, and to provide them with a suitable working environment." The city plans to improve working conditions by negotiating with the Ministry of Employment and Labor to change the payment system from monthly to weekly wages.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions criticized the government's hasty implementation of the program without proper preparation or stakeholder consultation. They called for a comprehensive review of the policy, warning that the situation could worsen if workers are not paid minimum wage. Seoul city emphasized its commitment to successfully concluding the pilot program and establishing it as a permanent initiative.