RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON CHILD LABOR

UNCLAS SEOUL 001347 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DOL/ILAB FOR RACHEL RIGBY DRL/ILCSR FOR MARK MITTELHAUSER G/TIP FOR STEVE STEINER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB ECON ETRD PGOV KS SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON CHILD LABOR REF: SECSTATE 43120 ¶1. (SBU) Per reftel request, Post was unable to find any new media or NGO reports about child labor in South Korea, nor do there seem to have been any high-profile cases involving child labor. According to Ministry of Labor statistics, in 2007 there were 551 violations against child labor laws. Of those violations, 470 businesses took corrective actions based on complaints and 81 were subjected to judicial proceedings. ¶2. (SBU) In 2007, the Ministry of Education reported the school enrollment for elementary, middle, and high school at 99.3 percent, 96 percent, and 91.3 percent respectively. With enrollment rates this high, it is clear that a child labor problem, if present, would have to be within a very small minority. Further, awareness-raising efforts are in place. Ministry of Labor officials have carried out programs to distribute "Standard Labor Contracts for Youth" and leaflets containing "ten major selective labor law related regulations which employers should know about." A mobile counseling center, "1350#" has also been put in place to protect young workers. VERSHBOW