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The Changwon branch of South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor will introduce a comprehensive workplace inspection system and sharply increase oversight to eliminate unpaid wages.
The branch is rolling out a special 2026 plan to tackle unpaid wages. It will move away from a complaint-driven approach and instead verify wage payments for all employees at each workplace.
This year, officials will conduct comprehensive inspections at workplaces that experienced wage arrears at least twice in the past year or that received complaints from three or more employees. Beginning next year, inspections will be expanded to every workplace that files an unpaid-wage complaint.
If group wage arrears involve five or more workers, or if a workplace employs 30 or more people, inspectors will carry out on-site labor supervision to detect hidden arrears. Authorities will also consider criminal charges against employers who fail to remedy violations.
The office will also change its organizational approach. From April 1, it will adopt a case-team system that assigns districts to teams rather than using the previous rotational assignment. Each team will handle cases end to end, a move officials say will improve the systematic management of repeat wage-withholding workplaces.
Last year in the Changwon branch’s jurisdiction (Changwon, Haman, Uiryeong, Changnyeong), unpaid wages totaled 43.67 billion KRW (approximately $32,752,500), affecting 6,037 workers. The number of affected workers fell 14.7% from the previous year, but the total unpaid amount decreased by only 2.1%. By industry, manufacturing accounted for 49.1%, followed by construction at 14.6%.
Branch Chief Tae-sik Choi said, “Through full inspections, we will proactively uncover hidden unpaid wages and push for prompt settlements. We will devote all efforts to eradicating wage arrears and protecting workers’ rights.”
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