It has been confirmed that one in four sanitation workers has been receiving lower wages than what was stipulated in their contracts.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced the results of a comprehensive investigation into wage payment practices for 2,462 municipal waste collection, transportation, and street cleaning service contracts issued by local governments across the country over the past three years. The investigation was conducted in two phases from early March to mid-June of this year.

The results revealed that 586 cases (23.8%) involved under-budgeting, where the contract specifications themselves were set to pay less than the appropriate wage, while 561 cases (22.8%) involved underpayment, where workers were paid less than the amount stated in the contract.

Additionally, 1,625 cases (66.0%) were found to have failed to operate dedicated accounts for labor costs, and 364 cases (14.8%) failed to follow the verification procedures for ensuring appropriate wage payments.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has notified local governments of the violations identified during the investigation and ordered them to take measures to ensure that appropriate wages are paid to sanitation workers for ongoing projects.

Furthermore, the ministry has requested audits from each local government and mandated that officials involved in illegal or improper practices be disciplined, and that relevant companies face penalties.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung stated, "Guaranteeing appropriate wages for sanitation workers is a minimum principle to ensure fair compensation for those who dedicate themselves in unseen places," adding, "We will manage this thoroughly so that a fair contracting culture can take root in the field."

Previously, on February 19, President Lee Jae-myung instructed officials at a meeting of senior secretaries held at the Blue House to "thoroughly grasp the situation through audits or comprehensive investigations" in response to concerns that local governments were failing to comply with regulations to guarantee appropriate wages for sanitation workers.

(Photo: Courtesy of Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)