Lee orders probe into sanitation workers' wages; more than 1,100 cases of underreporting and underpayment found

[Financial News] The Blue House said on the 15th that, following President Lee Jae Myung's instructions, an investigation into wage payments for sanitation workers found 586 cases of underreporting and 561 cases of underpayment.
At a briefing at the Chunchugwan Press Center that day, Blue House senior spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said, "At a senior aides meeting in February, President Lee Jae Myung was informed that some local governments were not complying with rules to ensure proper wages for sanitation workers." She added, "He then ordered an audit or a full-scale investigation to determine the situation, strict disciplinary action against those responsible if problems were found, and the swift payment of any unpaid wages."
She explained that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety reviewed whether sanitation workers were receiving proper compensation for their labor in 2,462 cleaning service contracts awarded by local governments over the past three years. "As a result, it found 586 cases in which proper wages were underreported in contract documents and 561 cases in which wages paid were lower than the amounts listed in the contracts," she said.
It also found many cases in which mandatory labor-cost dedicated accounts were not operated or the procedures for confirming proper wage payments were not followed.
Kang said, "The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has informed local governments of the results of the full-scale investigation and asked them to impose disciplinary action on those involved and take disadvantageous measures against the companies concerned if any illegal or improper practices are confirmed through audits."
She added, "To prevent similar cases in the future, the relevant ministries, including MOIS, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and MOEL, will consult on institutional reforms and stronger oversight measures. The Lee Jae Myung administration will continue to work closely with local governments to protect workers' rights and ensure that a fair contracting culture takes root in the field."
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun, Seong Seok-woo Reporter