SEOUL. South Korea — The US has blocked imports of sea salt merchandise from a significant South Korean salt farm accused of utilizing slave labor, turning into the primary commerce companion to take punitive motion in opposition to a decadeslong drawback on salt farms in distant islands off South Korea’s southwest coast.
U.S. Customs and Border Safety issued a withhold launch order in opposition to the Taepyung salt farm, saying data “reasonably indicates” the usage of compelled labor on the firm within the island county of Sinan, the place most of South Korea’s sea salt merchandise are made.
Below the order issued final Wednesday, Customs personnel in any respect U.S. ports of entry are required to carry sea salt merchandise sourced from the farm.
Taepyung is South Korea’s largest salt farm, producing about 16,000 tons of salt yearly, which accounts for about 6% of the nation’s complete output, based on authorities knowledge, and is a significant provider to South Korean meals corporations. The farm, positioned on Jeungdo island in Sinan and leasing most of its salt fields to tenants, has been repeatedly accused of utilizing compelled labor, together with in 2014 and 2021.
South Korean officers said that this was the primary time a international authorities had suspended imports from a South Korean firm resulting from issues over compelled labor.
In a press release to The Related Press on Monday, South Korea’s International Ministry mentioned related authorities companies, together with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, have been taking steps to deal with labor practices at Taepyung since 2021. Whereas not offering direct proof, it mentioned it assesses that not one of the salt produced there now could be sourced from compelled labor. The ministry mentioned it plans to “actively engage” in discussions with the U.S. officers over the matter.
The fisheries ministry mentioned it plans to promptly evaluation the mandatory measures to hunt the lifting of the U.S. order.
The widespread slavery at Sinan’s salt farms was uncovered in 2014 when dozens of slavery victims — most of them with disabilities — had been rescued from the islands following an investigation by mainland police. A few of their tales had been documented by The Related Press, which highlighted how slavery persevered regardless of the publicity.
U.S. Customs mentioned it recognized a number of indicators of compelled labor throughout its investigation of Taepyung, together with “abuse of vulnerability, deception, restriction of movement, retention of identity documents, abusive living and working conditions, intimidation and threats, physical violence, debt bondage, withholding of wages, and excessive overtime.”
Lawyer Choi Jung Kyu, a part of a gaggle of attorneys and activists who petitioned U.S. Customs to take motion in opposition to Taepyung and different South Korean salt farms in 2022, expressed hope that the U.S. ban would improve stress on South Korea to take simpler steps to eradicate the slavery.
“Since the exposure of the problem in 2014, the courts have recognized the legal responsibility of the national government and local governments, but forced labor among salt farm workers has not been eradicated,” Choi mentioned. “Our hope is that the export ban would force companies to strengthen due diligence over supply chains and lead to the elimination of human rights violations.”
Choi’s legislation agency and different teams representing salt farm slavery victims issued a press release urging the South Korean authorities to take stronger motion to forestall the continued abuse, together with harsher punishments for trafficking and compelled labor crimes. Additionally they criticized the dearth of assist measures for victims, equivalent to employment and housing help, which has led some to return to salt farms.
Many of the salt farm slaves rescued in 2014 had been lured to the islands to work by brokers employed by salt farm house owners, who would beat them into lengthy hours of onerous labor and confine them at their homes for years whereas offering little or no pay.
The slavery was revealed in early 2014 when two law enforcement officials from the capital, Seoul, disguised themselves as vacationers to clandestinely rescue a sufferer who had been reported by his household as lacking. One of many Seoul law enforcement officials advised AP they went undercover due to issues about collaboration between the island’s police and salt farm house owners. Dozens of farm house owners and job brokers had been indicted, however no police or officers had been punished regardless of allegations some knew concerning the slavery.
In 2019, South Korea’s Supreme Courtroom upheld a decrease courtroom ruling that ordered the federal government to compensate three males who had been enslaved on salt farms in Sinan and the neighboring county of Wando, acknowledging that native officers and police did not correctly monitor their residing and dealing circumstances.
The salt farm slavery problem resurfaced in 2021 when round a dozen employees at Taepyung had been found to have endured numerous labor abuses, together with compelled labor and wage theft.
