In face-to-face work, subcontracted workers did not receive 'health care sets' from Hanhwa... Some unpaid wages also.

On the day of being challenged by Kim Sung-yeon, chairman of the Hanwha Group, who recently distributed a 30 billion won incentive package to all employees of the company, Hanwha affiliates who were subcontracting workers did not receive any gifts. Some of these subcontracting workers demanded improvement in the "daily inequality" and proper collective bargaining for a fair wage.

The Metal Workers' Union of Gyeongsang Province held a press conference on Monday at the provincial government's press center to denounce chairman Kim's actions. Metal Workers' Union of Gyeongsang Province's branch president Kim Il-sik stated, "The discrimination and inequality faced by steel plant workers at Hanwha Group have gone too far.

Workers on the production line are experiencing temperatures exceeding 45 degrees." He further criticized the situation where subcontracting workers are being forced to work without receiving their wages on the day of the gift. Hanwha Group stated that they spent approximately 30 billion won using chairman Kim's funds to send a 'health set' of tripe soup, beef tripe, and stir-fried tofu to all 69,000 employees and their families last December just before the meal.

However, subcontracting workers at Hanwha Group's affiliates did not receive any gifts. Gyeong Nam branch president of the Metal Workers' Union, Jeong Geun-sok, said, "Hanwha Ocean employs 15,000 subcontracting workers, and 80% of the company's production is handled by subcontractors. We have created most of the year's operating profit."

Jeong emphasized that they have endured many forms of discrimination, including receiving only half the wage, receiving minimal benefits, and facing job insecurity. The Metal Workers' Union of Gyeongsang Province plans to send the same 'health set' to Kim Sung-yeon's home as the gifts prepared for Hanwha Ocean subcontracting workers.

In a related development, Hanwha Ocean was recently granted user status in the Ministry of Labor's Yellow Box Law, which allows for legal action against the subcontractors, marking the first time this has occurred in the industry.