SEOUL. South Korea (AP) — America 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 problem 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 “fairly signifies” using 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 on April 2, CBP personnel in any respect U.S. ports of entry are required to detain sea salt merchandise sourced from the farm.
South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries didn’t instantly touch upon CBP’s transfer on Monday.
Taepyung is the most important salt farm in Sinan, reportedly producing about 16,000 tons of salt yearly, which accounts for roughly 6% of the nation’s whole output, 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.
The widespread slavery at Sinan’s salt farms was uncovered in 2014, when dozens of slavery victims — most of them with disabilities — were 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 continued to thrive regardless of the publicity.
CBP mentioned it recognized a number of indicators of compelled labor throughout its investigation of Taepyung, together with “abuse of vulnerability, deception, restriction of motion, retention of id paperwork, abusive dwelling and dealing circumstances, intimidation and threats, bodily violence, debt bondage, withholding of wages, and extreme extra time.”
Lawyer Choi Jung Kyu, a part of a bunch of attorneys and activists who petitioned CBP to take motion in opposition to Taepyung and different South Korean salt farms in 2022, expressed hope that the U.S. export ban would improve strain on South Korea to take more practical steps to remove the slavery.
“For the reason that publicity of the issue in 2014, the courts have acknowledged the obligation of the nationwide authorities and native governments, however compelled labor amongst salt farm staff has not been eradicated,” Choi mentioned. “Our hope is that the export ban would power corporations to strengthen due diligence over provide chains and result in the elimination of human rights violations.”
A lot of the salt farm slaves rescued in 2014 had been lured to the islands by “man hunters” and job brokers employed by salt farm house owners, who would beat them into lengthy hours of arduous 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, got here to one of many Sinan islands disguised as vacationers and pulled off a clandestine operation to rescue a sufferer who had been reported by his household as lacking. One of many Seoul law enforcement officials informed the AP they went undercover due to issues about collaborative ties 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 court docket ruling that ordered the government to compensate three men who had been enslaved on Sinan’s salt farms, acknowledging that native officers and police didn’t correctly monitor their dwelling and dealing circumstances.
The salt farm slavery subject resurfaced in 2021 when round a dozen staff at Taepyung had been found to have endured varied labor abuses, together with compelled labor and delayed funds.
Source link