Officials discuss Filipino caregivers' work conditions after disappearances

Officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss improving working conditions for Filipino domestic caregivers.

Filipino domestic caregivers arrive at Incheon International Airport on Aug. 7. [NEWS1]

Officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss improving working conditions for Filipino domestic caregivers, following the recent disappearance of two caregivers from their jobs.

Two Filipino caregivers, along with the CEOs of the scheme's service providers — Homesaeng and Hubriz — attended a meeting at Homesaeng’s office in Gangnam District, southern Seoul.

Kim Sun-soon, head of the city government’s Women and Family Policy Affairs Office, told reporters that paying the 100 domestic caregivers weekly, instead of the current monthly system, would be considered after assessing demand, following the closed-door meeting.

“The payday for the previous month’s work is currently set for the 20th, but this needs to be amended,” Kim said.

However, she noted that the demand for weekly payments might not be high, based on feedback from the two caregivers who attended the meeting.

“Those who attended said they prefer monthly payments, as it is easier to plan their spending,” Kim said.

The two caregivers at the meeting did not express complaints about their wages. Kim believes that the two missing Filipino caregivers left for reasons unrelated to payment.

“I have realized that we are paid just enough or better, especially as we are living in Gangnam,” said Jasmine Erica, one of the two Filipino caregivers who attended the meeting. The 100 Filipino domestic caregivers live in shared housing located in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul.

Joan, another caregiver at the meeting, raised concerns about the 10 p.m. curfew at their accommodations, stressing that the curfew should be extended since most caregivers return around 9 p.m. after work.

The city government said it would consider revising the curfew and explore ways to provide spaces for caregivers, who currently eat lunch in parks or subway stations during their breaks.

As of Tuesday, neither the Seoul city government nor the Ministry of Employment and Labor has been able to contact the two Filipino caregivers who left their shared housing during the Chuseok holiday on Sept. 15.

A total of 100 Filipino caregivers arrived in Korea on Aug. 7 as part of a pilot program aimed at addressing the country's caregiver shortage and the high cost of child care.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]