▲ Salt farm (The photo above is not related to the content of this article.)
Operators of a salt farm who exploited and abused individuals, including people with disabilities who lacked the ability to live independently, have been brought to trial.
The Gwangju District Prosecutors Office's Women and Children Crimes Investigation Department (Chief Prosecutor Seo Hye-seon) indicted three individuals, including a 61-year-old identified by the surname A, on charges including quasi-fraud and aggravated confinement on July 7.
The prosecution also indicted a 46-year-old identified by the surname B without detention on charges of concealing evidence, including employment contracts.
The three individuals who were arrested, including the owner and managers of a salt farm in Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do, are accused of exploiting three employees by forcing them to work an average of 17 hours a day for up to five years without paying them a combined total of approximately 300 million won in wages.
The investigation revealed that the suspects frequently assaulted the victims and subjected them to cruel treatment, such as tying them to pillars with clotheslines or locking them in the trunks of vehicles.
The victims, all men in their 50s and 60s, have borderline intellectual functioning or visual impairments.
Having lived disconnected from their families, the victims were sent to work at the salt farm through employment agencies.
Due to their limited ability to respond to situations caused by their disabilities, excessive labor, starvation, and psychological helplessness, the victims were unable to escape and were forced to rely on A and the other suspects.
One of the victims was even handed over to a ship owner by A, like a slave being sold, before being brought to the salt farm.
After receiving the case from the police, the prosecution conducted supplementary investigations and discovered additional criminal charges, including the concealment of evidence by B.
Through the supplementary investigation, the prosecution also added charges such as luring victims into labor exploitation, noting that the suspects lured the victims with the promise of jobs and then kept them under complete psychological and physical control to prevent them from escaping.
The case came to light on May 22 following a 112 report stating that a person with a severely swollen face, as if they had been beaten, was wandering around rice paddies while speaking incoherently.
The prosecution has also provided support for the victims' recovery, including assisting with disability registration, requesting the appointment of adult guardians, and pursuing wage and damage claims.
A prosecution official stated, "We will respond strictly to crimes targeting the socially vulnerable through thorough supplementary investigations. We will also strive to help the victims recover their daily lives."
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