[영문뉴스] 염전노예, 재판부에 의해 국가 보상을 받게 되다
2017-09-10 위키리크스한국
The Seoul Central District Court on Friday ordered the state to provide 30 million won ($26,560) in compensation to only one of eight victims of labor exploitation at a salt farm in Sinan, South Jeolla Province. The ruling came in a suit filed by the eight against the state and the Sinan and Wando governments.
A victim surnamed Park sought help from police but was not offered any. The court did not recognize the state's responsibility to compensate other victims who had also filed suits, citing lack of evidence of the state's responsibility.
"Park left the salt farm early in the morning to seek help from police, but the police officer did not carry out his duty to protect Park, who has an intellectual disability. The officer did not investigate the irregularities of the salt farm owner," the court said.
"Due to the officer's negligence, Park was forced to return to the salt farm and we suspect he would have been under severe distress ― we support the total amount of compensation Park has sought."
Of the other seven victims who were part of the compensation suit but did not seek police aid, the court said they had not claimed there were "illicit acts by civil servants or have not offered sufficient evidence."
The issue of labor exploitation at the salt farm in Sinan became known in 2014. Two people surnamed Chae and Kim, each with intellectual disability and visual impairment, were taken to a remote island in Sinan County, where they were promised jobs. However, they were forced for decades to work without pay, and also endured physical and verbal abuse.
Police and regional labor authorities in further investigations found that around 20 workers had wages overdue.
In November 2015, the victims filed a compensation suit against the state, claiming the state was responsible for failing to supervise the farm, and that the counties of Sinan and Wando did not carry out their duties to protect laborers.
In the suit they demanded the state provide 240 million won in compensation ― 30 million for each plaintiff.
/Rep. Kang Ji Hyun