The Gyeonggi Provincial Employment and Labor Office said on the 31st that it will begin inspections next month into illegal in‑house subcontracting and worker dispatches at auto parts manufacturers across the province.
Labor authorities say many auto parts makers rely on prime–subcontractor arrangements, heightening concerns about illegal labor practices.
Officials warned that such arrangements increase the risk of industrial accidents, citing the recent fire at Anjeon Industrial in Daejeon as an example.
Last year, the Gyeonggi office inspected cosmetics manufacturers and other firms. It uncovered 18 unlicensed dispatch firms and referred them for prosecution.
It also ordered employers who had relied on illegal dispatches to directly hire 402 dispatched workers.
The office said it expanded this year’s inspection program compared with last year in order to promote lawful labor practices.
Key inspection items include whether subcontracting relationships are being disguised, whether the assigned tasks and dispatch periods are lawful, and whether dispatched workers face discriminatory treatment or other violations of labor law.
Kim Do‑hyung, the director, said the office will devote all available resources to inspections to eradicate illegal dispatch practices and to establish a culture of lawful workforce management.
