오피니언 Editorial

Stop Seeking Compensation for Damages from Cambodian Workers

입력 2014.01.07 16:56

Korean companies in Cambodia appear to be preparing to launch a lawsuit against the leader of Cambodia's opposition party and the labor unions seeking compensation for damages. They claim they have suffered losses reaching $10 million due to disruptions in production and damage to facilities caused by the union's strike and demonstrations. It is a lawsuit by the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC), but reports claim that Korean companies are leading such an initiative. It is inhumane and anti-labor to respond to a poor worker's request to increase the minimum wage to $160 with a major lawsuit. If it is true that Korean companies are leading such an effort, it is truly embarrassing. It is only right that they stop such an attempt immediately.

A lawsuit related to huge compensations is a way to suppress labor commonly used in Korea. It is an attempt to kill the workers with money and has long been noted as one of the worst culprits in intensifying the conflicts between labor and management. Claiming compensation for damages due to disruption in production caused by a strike is denying the workers' right to strike, and seeking compensation from workers for facility damages which occurred in the process of suppressing the demonstration without determining the legality of the government's intervention can violate the freedom of assembly and association.

Labor and civic groups including the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions and a group monitoring Korean companies overseas held a press conference to condemn the violent suppression of workers on strike by the Cambodian government near the Cambodian embassy in Hannam-dong, Seoul on January 6. They claimed, "The Cambodian government, which pointed guns at workers on a legitimate strike according to international labor standards, should regain their reason. Korean companies also planning to engage in a legal offensive by seeking compensation for damages from the local workers should engage in dialogue with the union." More than 20 migrant workers from Cambodia attended this day's press conference.｜Gim Gi-nam

This goes against the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and the International Covenants for Human Rights, which is why the ILO and other international organizations have consistently asked the South Korean government to make corrections. Attempting to follow such a practice--neutralizing domestic strikes by claiming huge compensations for disrupting operations from the workers on strike--in another country deserves to be condemned by the international community.

What's more, reports claim that a request by Korean companies for military backup was the cause of the bloodshed on January 3, which killed five and wounded tens more. The GMAC including Korean companies refused to negotiate and are opposed to increasing the minimum wage. Instead they responded with threats to relocate their factories, which provoked demonstrations, ultimately leading to a violent end. In other words, Korean companies are also responsible for leading the demonstrations by the Cambodian workers to bloodshed. Yet they dare to take a step further and attempt to resolve the issue through a lawsuit for compensations. Indeed this is too much.

It's not just in Cambodia. The anti-labor practices of some Korean companies overseas will not only tarnish the image of our country, but also result in bigger losses. If South Korea is not to be shamed internationally on labor-related issues, the government as well as the companies must adjust their attitude. After all, the Korean government and Korean companies cannot ask companies in Cambodia to follow international standards and to respect universal human rights without trying to improve their anti-labor practice of an indiscriminate lawsuit for compensation despite recommendations by the ILO.

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