Bound with Clotheslines, Eyes Poked: Victims of Salt Farm Abuse Have "Nowhere to Go" Even After Losing Over 300 Million Won

[Anchor]

Some time ago, three workers were rescued from a salt farm in South Jeolla Province. Circumstances revealed that salt farm operators severely abused the workers for a long period, including tying their hands and feet with clotheslines. However, another problem is that the victims have nowhere to go even after leaving the salt farm.

Reporter Jeong Banseok met with them.

[Reporter]

This is a salt farm located in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province.

Three individuals, including a person surnamed Lee who is suspected of having borderline intellectual functioning, worked here without a single day off for periods ranging from three months to as long as five years.

Their unpaid wages exceed 300 million won.

[Lee / Salt Farm Victim: We wake up at 4:30 (in the morning) and you have to consider that we work until 11:30 at night, except for meal times. I have never received any money.]

In July, the salt farm owner and work foreman were indicted, and the indictment details the abuse they suffered.

Under the pretext of being slow at work, they had their eyes poked with fingers or were locked inside car trunks.

There were also multiple instances where their hands were tied with clotheslines and they were hung from the crossbeams of a salt storage shed for several hours.

[Noh / Salt Farm Victim: The boss would just tie our hands and feet completely so we couldn't move. He tied our hands and feet and passed a rope like a clothesline up over there.]

The victimized workers had lost contact with their families and had nowhere to return to.

[Noh / Salt Farm Victim: They told me that even if I tried to run away, I would be caught and brought back within an hour at the fastest, or exactly one day at the latest. They told me never to think about running away.]

The cruel treatment continued until right before they were rescued.

[Lee / Salt Farm Victim: When I collapsed, the boss actually stepped on me himself. If he didn't like something, he made us raise our hands and hold them up.]

Yeonggwang County inspected this salt farm where the victims worked three years ago and stated there were no unusual findings.

It was omitted entirely from this year's list for on-site inspections.

The victims, who cannot immediately achieve self-sufficiency, are relying on living expenses provided by the government after being recognized as victims of human trafficking.

Even this is limited to a maximum of 4.7 million won over six months.

They are currently hospitalized or staying in temporary facilities, but they do not have the money to secure even a single room.

[Noh / Salt Farm Victim: There isn't a single penny in my bank account right now. If I go outside, I'll have to sleep on the street...]

Yeonggwang County maintains the stance that it is difficult to provide support for two of the victims because their registered addresses are not in Yeonggwang.

[Lee Gi-rim / Activist at Donghaeng with Public Interest Lawyers: When a person with disabilities suffers from abuse, providing proper support and building a safe life is the responsibility of that local government.]

Without proper support, tragedies at salt farms are bound to repeat themselves.

[Noh / Salt Farm Victim: It's a place I never want to go back to, ever again.]

(Photo: Kim Hangyul, Video Editing: Park Ji-in)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.