Mongabay · Climate & nature

South Korea updates migrant fisher protections amid criticism

South Korea revised human trafficking guidelines to better identify and combat abuse in its fishing industry, partly due to U.S. State Department recommendations.

The updated guidelines specify abuse indicators like untreated injuries or confiscated phones. While not laws, they provide thresholds for authorities to act on suspected trafficking.

Activists argue the guidelines are insufficient, stating enforcement of existing laws is the real issue and changes won't significantly improve conditions.

The revisions follow criticism over abuses faced by migrant fishers, including confinement, low wages, and long work hours, exacerbated by their isolated jobs.

South Korea's fishing industry relies heavily on migrant workers (80.5% on vessels). Recruitment firms sometimes use extreme measures to prevent workers from leaving.

These measures include confinement, confiscating passports, and withholding wages. Companies face penalties if workers abscond.

Despite some arrests, convictions for fishing sector trafficking are rare. U.S. reports noted this as a weakness, citing few prosecutions and identified victims.

Legal experts note South Korea's new anti-trafficking laws (2023) lack precedents and victim protections. Effectiveness hinges on practical application.

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