U.S. embassy investigating exploitation at salt farm in South Jeolla: Report

The U.S. Embassy in Korea has reportedly begun an investigation into the alleged exploitation of intellectually disabled individuals in Shinan, South Jeolla, according to a report by broadcaster SBS on Tuesday.

A worker is seen on a salt farm in Shinan County, South Jeolla, on April 7, in this photo unrelated to the story. [YONHAP]

The U.S. Embassy in Korea has reportedly begun an investigation into the alleged exploitation of intellectually disabled individuals in Shinan, South Jeolla, according to a report by broadcaster SBS on Tuesday.

The U.S. Embassy has initiated a fact-finding inquiry into the case in which a salt farm operator in Shinan was arrested on charges of forcing a person with an intellectual disability to work without wages for 10 years, according to the SBS report.

The embassy is said to have met with the victim’s legal representative and advocacy groups for people with disabilities.

It reportedly focused on why the individual was not rescued during a similar 2014 case involving forced labor at salt farms, and how the person remained with the alleged perpetrator even after Shinan county requested an investigation in 2023.

The embassy is expected to submit a report to Washington upon completion of the inquiry. The U.S. Department of State publishes an annual Trafficking in Persons Report, and this case could influence Korea’s ranking in the report.

Countries are classified into Tiers 1 to 3 based on their efforts to combat human trafficking. Korea was downgraded to Tier 2 in the 2022 report for the first time in 20 years.

The American flag is seen in front of the U.S. Embassy in Korea in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Sept. 11. [NEWS1]

The report has drawn sharp responses online, with many questioning why the Korean government failed to act.

On Nov. 10, the Mokpo branch of the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office arrested the owner of the salt farm in question on charges of quasi-fraud and violations of the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act and the Anti-Discrimination and Remedies for Persons with Disabilities Act.

The salt farm owner is accused of forcing the person with disabilities to work without pay from April 2014 to August 2024, withholding approximately 96 million won ($65,460) in wages.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY SHIN HYE-YEON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]