SEOUL, South Korea — Two Filipino domestic workers who fled their jobs without permission under a pilot program in Seoul have been deported back to their home country, the South Korean Justice Ministry announced Monday.
The pair, who were part of a six-month project to provide foreign nannies to households with children, abandoned their posts on September 15, during the Chuseok holiday, and failed to return to work by September 18. Authorities later discovered they had taken up illegal jobs in Busan, leading to their arrest at their residences earlier this month.
According to the ministry, the workers did not contest the deportation order and expressed a desire to return home during the investigation. They were subsequently banned from reentering South Korea for a specified period.
The two Filipinas arrived in South Korea on August 6 as part of the pilot project, which aimed to alleviate childcare burdens in households. After a month of training, they began working on September 3. However, their unauthorized departure from the program has raised concerns about the working conditions and treatment of foreign domestic helpers in the country.
The remaining 98 Filipino workers under the program have been working normally, according to authorities. The Seoul city government has pledged to improve working conditions, including changing the wage system from monthly to weekly payments, in cooperation with the labor ministry.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by foreign workers in South Korea, who often face language barriers, cultural differences, and difficulties adapting to local customs. The pilot program, which was launched to address the country’s worsening childcare crisis, has sparked debates about the treatment and rights of foreign domestic helpers.
The deportation of the two Filipino workers serves as a reminder of the need for better support systems and protections for foreign workers in South Korea. As the country grapples with an aging population and shrinking workforce, the government will need to address the concerns of foreign workers to ensure the success of its labor importation policies.
In the meantime, the Seoul city government’s efforts to improve working conditions for foreign domestic helpers are seen as a step in the right direction. However, more needs to be done to prevent similar incidents in the future and to ensure that foreign workers are treated with dignity and respect.
