By Kim Da-hee
Foreign sailors on Korean vessels committed 67 crimes ― including 11 involving deaths ― over the past three-and-a-half years, data shows.
The Ministry of Public Safety and Security supplied the information to Saenuri Party Rep. Kwon Sok-chang of the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee on Tuesday.
The figures show foreign sailors commit an average of 1.6 crimes a month.
It has been found that Korean shipping companies' increasing tendency to hire foreign sailors to reduce costs has caused growing communication problems between Korean sailors in executive positions and the foreigners.
There is also speculation that foreign workers' discontent about brokerage fees ― 24 percent of their wages ― has led to crimes. And the regulation that foreign sailors on deep-sea fishing vessels are not required to submit criminal records is regarded as another factor contributing to the crimes.
"We need some foreign workers who take charge of communication between Korean sailors in executive positions and foreign sailors," Kwon said. "Furthermore, there should be a process to check foreign sailors' criminal history records ― even if they do not stay in Korea ― such as sailors on deep-sea fishing vessels."
Kwon said brokerage fees should be lowered to allow foreign sailors to receive decent wages.