Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a seminar held on the issue of introducing a separate minimum wage system for foreign workers at the National Assembly in Seoul, Aug. 27. Oh growing calls to scrap the city's Filipino nanny program, one of his principal polices introduced to help tackle Korea's fertility crisis. Yonhap
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon faces growing calls from labor activists to scrap the city's Filipino nanny program, one of the key policies he introduced to help alleviate Korea's fertility crisis.
The nation's two largest umbrella labor unions ― the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) ― are now calling on the mayor to "completely reexamine" the feasibility of the policy, saying that it is all but certain to lead to many societal problems.
This comes after two Filipino domestic workers were confirmed to have been uncontactable since Sept. 17. They were among the 100 women who arrived here on Aug. 6 as part of a program aimed at helping Korean parents raise their children at a more affordable cost.
"It was a predictable consequence of a rushed policy by the (city and central) governments," a KCTU spokesman said to The Korea Times on Wednesday. "This policy is likely to result in a rise in the number of undocumented migrant workers and more human rights violations against them."
The pilot project is expected to expand to other cities and regions after a six-month testing period in the capital. However, growing criticism could derail that plan.
The same day, the KCTU announced that it would hold a rally in central Seoul on Thursday as part of its protest against the "anti-labor, rights-violating" policy, saying 31 organizations will join the street demonstration.
In a statement released on Monday, the FKUT also expressed a similar sentiment. The group urged policymakers behind the nanny program to stop pushing to make it a national project.
"The incident happened despite the fact that the workers were offered the minimum wage. If they face a situation where they can't make even that amount, what would happen is very obvious," the FKUT said. "This rushed, irresponsible policy to import workers from overseas will also bring down the income levels and working conditions of Korean workers who are already struggling … The government should start listening to the concerns and opposition voiced by labor organizations."
All this presents additional challenges to Oh, who has also been criticized by Seoul residents for running a program that the city cannot afford. Many say giving more than 2 million won ($1,500) per month for a full-time worker is beyond their financial capabilities. Oh's original plan was to offer them less than the legal minimum wage, but the idea was rejected by opposition lawmakers eventually.
Kim Sun-soon, second from left, the Seoul Metropolitan Government's chief policymaker for gender equality and family issues, speaks during a meeting with Filippino caregivers at a partner firm's office in Seoul, Tuesday. Newsis
It is still unclear why the Filipino workers disappeared. While some suspect that they did so due to low wages, compared with what they could make from manufacturing jobs or other endeavors, others say it might have been planned in advance when they joined the program.
Either way, it is no good for the mayor or residents who found the policy helpful.
Complaints also come from the Filipino caregivers. During a meeting held after the incident, some complained about curfews at their accommodations and the long commutes to work.
They said traveling the long distance between their workplaces is one of the biggest issues for them, with some saying they did not have enough time to eat proper meals due to their demanding schedules.
City officials said they will continue to help them adjust to the new environment here while coming up with measures to address their challenges.