On the 7th, freelance producers and health trainers collectively filed a complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, expressing that they want their rights as workers to be guaranteed.
On the same day, labor rights groups, including the Labor Consultant Association for Human Rights and the Public Transport Union Hope Solidarity Headquarters, held a press conference in front of the Seoul Employment and Labor Agency in Jung-gu, Seoul, stating, "It is expected that the number of 'fake freelancers' who have been deprived of the Labor Standards Act will soon reach 10 million, but discussions about this issue have disappeared," urging for improvements.
Freelancers such as production directors and health trainers are unable to receive proper protection under the Labor Standards Act due to their worker status not being recognized. These groups noted, "People who run businesses using the labor of others should bear the responsibilities of business owners under the Labor Standards Act, but this does not apply in our labor market," and expressed hope that through collective complaints, those who work can at least protect their basic rights.
This complaint involved more than 50 freelancers working at 12 business sites nationwide, including Choi, who worked as a producer for KBS's 'Live Information' for 10 years. Previously, Choi filed a complaint with the Seoul Southern Labor Office in November last year, claiming that KBS was not paying severance, but was judged not to be a worker, leading to the resubmission of the complaint on that day.
A complaint differs from a prosecution or denunciation demanding punishment of the employer. If a labor inspector finds that there are grounds for violating labor laws, they can issue a corrective order, and failure to comply may result in referral to the prosecution. However, if the worker does not wish for punishment, the employer will not be punished.