By Kim Cheong-won
Staff Reporter


Police Thursday arrested a job broker on charges of providing bribes to about 20 prosecutors, police officers and journalists to cover up a corruption scandal related to the supply of foreign workers.

The broker, identified as Hong, 64, is suspected of receiving 140 million won ($137,000) in kickbacks between 2002 and 2003 from a job brokerage agency, which supplies Nepalese workers.

Investigators said Hong took the money in exchange for helping the agency cover up irregularities in connection with the dispatch of foreign workers to Korea.

The agency is suspected of illegally helping Nepalese workers, who already worked in Korea for three years, re-enter the country to work.

Hong is suspected of having provided kickbacks of 1 million to more than 10 millions won each to five former and incumbent prosecutors, six senior police officers, six reporters and broadcasting station officials, and four bank managers.

According to the current work permit system, it is prohibited for foreign workers, who had been employed in Korea for three years, to re-enter the country for work.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency seized a diary at Hong’s house, which reportedly contain a list of people who received kickbacks from Hong.

The Supreme Prosecutors Office also launched a probe into the case.

``We will summon two former broadcasting company officials for the questioning on their involvement in the case, and call in other officials on the list soon,’’ police said.

``Although details are written on Hong’s diary, we cannot jump to any conclusion now. Further investigation is needed to find out the truth,’’ he added.

There have been many corruption cases involving the recruitment of foreign workers.

In June, the Ministry of Labor has decided to suspend the recruitment of Indonesian workers under the work permit system following improper job-brokering activities in the Southeast Asian country.

The measure came as the Indonesian authorities failed to send some 500 citizens who obtained Korean work visas on schedule from March, with some of them arriving in Korea up to three months behind schedule.

Foreign workers usually enter Korea about one month after the visas are issued, but it takes 50-60 days for Indonesian workers to enter the country.

The delayed entry creates hardship for local companies that applied for Indonesian workers but failed to secure manpower on time.

The Korean government introduced the work permit system last August to gradually replace the decade-long industrial trainee system, under which many migrant workers suffered from low wages and human rights abuse due to their unstable job status as ``trainees.’’

It is designed to guarantee transparency in the foreign workforce employment process and compiles lists of workers from six Asian countries _ Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Foreigners willing to work in South Korea are required to learn Korean language and culture in advance, being permitted to work for up to three years. They receive the same treatment as local employees, enjoying a variety of rights including membership to labor unions, access to industrial accident insurance and a guaranteed minimum wage.

kcw@koreatimes.co.kr