Thai, Filipino, Chinese workers caught working illegally in South Korean adult parlours
- June/July investigation found 642 undocumented employees of foreign nationality – Deportation ordered of 588, 16 told to depart voluntarily, 5 to be prosecuted
- Brokers encourage people to stay illegally in South Korea and connect them to unlawful employment, reportedly advising them online to ‘dress like tourists’
South Korea’s Ministry of Justice on Friday said it caught 887 undocumented workers of foreign nationality employed in adult entertainment facilities, as well as brokers and employers during a recent crackdown on illegal employment.
From the two-month investigation between June and July, the ministry found 642 undocumented employees of foreign nationality and ordered the Deportation of 588, while telling 16 to depart voluntarily. Five were sent to be prosecuted.
The undocumented workers include: 527 Thai, 49 Vietnamese, 33 Chinese, 12 Russian and 11 Filipino nationals.
The ministry also captured 11 brokers who helped them unlawfully to enter South Korea and find jobs in the country, and sent them to be prosecuted.
It also caught 234 illegal employers. Among them, 210 received a notification disposition, while 13 were sent to be prosecuted without arrest.
The ministry said it conducted an intensive crackdown in massage parlours, hostess bars and other adult entertainment facilities suspected of unlawfully employing foreign nationals who came via visa-waiver programmes.