Though unfamiliar to most people, a labor inspector is a special judicial police officer who investigates crimes involving violations of labor relations laws. Inspectors examine cases such as wage arrears, unfair labor practices, and workplace harassment, and when charges are confirmed, they book the employer and refer the case to the prosecution.
In reality, however, labor inspectors do more than investigate. They oversee workplaces, correct legal violations, and handle various reported cases and civil complaints. At times they encourage settlements between injured workers and employers. They are investigators and administrative officials at the same time, as well as mediators who help injured workers secure their rights.
The regulations governing labor inspectors' duties stipulate that "reported cases must be investigated and processed promptly, kindly, fairly, and accurately." Among these, the word that field inspectors find particularly burdensome is "kindly." Fairness and accuracy are natural principles for an investigator. But kindness is perceived almost as a symbol that blurs whether a labor inspector is an investigator or a civil affairs official.
Of course, kindness is a natural duty for public officials. For a victim of wage arrears, a young person or elderly person defrauded in a job scam, or a migrant worker suffering from labor exploitation, a labor inspector's kind guidance can be a great source of support. This does not mean that labor inspectors need not be kind.
The problem is that both the administrative task of guiding victims and the investigative task of examining suspects are demanded of one person at the same time. A labor inspector encourages settlements between victims and employers so that unpaid wages can be recovered quickly. In that process, the inspector faces the contradiction of having to persuade the very employer withholding wages who must be investigated rigorously.
One day the inspector works as a special judicial police officer, sharply pressing a suspect over alleged legal violations. Another day the inspector becomes a civil affairs official enduring endless demands and verbal abuse day and night. In workplace harassment cases, both sides may be dissatisfied with the investigation results and criticize the labor inspector. Within this structure, labor inspectors are becoming burned out.
The labor inspector organization is at a turning point. The workforce will grow to 8,000 by 2028, and a path will open for inspectors to exercise investigative authority independently, without direction from prosecutors. As the organization and its powers expand, the role of labor inspectors must also be redefined.
The efforts of Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon, who has been touring branch offices across the country to meet labor inspectors, are welcome. But it must not stop at encouragement and consolation. The work system itself must be redesigned so that labor inspectors can uphold fairness, independence, and expertise.
