The (추석) Chuseok holidays are just around the corner. It takes a certain amount of money to celebrate them in the traditional fashion. At this expensive time of the year, more than 2,000 workers on the island are owed overdue wages. Joseph Kim reports.

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Regional Employment and Labor Administration

This is the Jeju Office of the Gwangju Regional Employment and Labor Administration.

People constantly visit this office to report their overdue wages.

A carpenter in his sixties tells that he hasn't been paid wages for work he performed two years ago.

INTERVIEW
Unpaid worker
I haven't been paid for some work last year and the year before. They say they’re going to pay us only half, and we live from day to day. Fifty percent...
<인터뷰 : 임금체불 근로자>
"임금을 받아야 하는데 작년, 재작년에 일한 거예요. 하루 벌어서 하루 먹고사는 사람들 임금을 반 밖에 안 준다는 거예요. 50%…."

The office is also frequently visited by young workers in their twenties.

One of them worked at a restaurant as a part timer during school vacation, but the employer hasn't paid some of the wages.

INTERVIEW
Unpaid worker
The restaurant owner keeps delaying my payment without telling me why. It’s been 14 days since the legal deadline for the payment has passed. Not paid yet.
<인터뷰 :임금체불 근로자 >
"이유는 말씀을 안 해주시고 계속 내일 주겠다 이런 식으로만 말씀하시고 결국 법적으로 14일이 지난 상태인데 아직까지도 나머지가 입금이 안 된 상태고…. "
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2,060 local workers reported their unpaid wages of about 7.6 billion won this year.
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4.16 billion won has been paid among the reported overdue wages.

3.1 billion won is being sought after through lawsuits.

The employment and labor office is now dealing with the other 340 million won in complaints.

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68% more overdue wages this year

The accumulated amount of overdue wages has increased 68 percent this year, compared to last year.

The slump in the construction and tourism industries is a contributing factor.

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Among business types, finance and real estate sectors have the most amount of unpaid wages which accounts for 30 percent.

Wholesale and retail business, restaurant and accommodations sectors account for 23 percent and the construction sector accounts for 21 percent.
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This year, more than 50 percent of the overdue payment cases was ascribed to temporary financial difficulties at businesses.

In 35 percent of the cases, employees and employers argue over facts.
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The province says that it will make every effort for the 340 million won to be paid before the (추석) Chuseok holiday.

[Reporter] Joseph Kim
[Camera] Hyeon Gwang-hoon

Late payments are reported every year.

With the nation’s biggest holiday coming up fast, many laborers sigh and wait for a resolution.

Joseph Kim, KCTV