Inspections to cover working hours, wage theft and misuse of flat-rate pay agreements
Firms selected based on sales, workforce size and history of labor law violations
South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor will launch a targeted inspection of multi-channel network companies that support content creators on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
The ministry announced Wednesday that it will begin workplace inspections of five major MCN firms in Seoul on Monday, covering compliance with labor relations laws broadly.
The move comes amid growing criticism that labor management practices in the MCN industry have failed to keep pace with the rapid expansion of the one-person media market.
The ministry selected five Seoul-based companies suspected of labor law violations, drawing on factors including sales figures, workforce size and records of reported violations.
Key areas of scrutiny include illegal working hours, unpaid wages, unpaid labor resulting from the misuse of flat-rate pay agreements, and violations of rules prohibiting predetermined penalty clauses. The ministry said it will take strict action against any violations confirmed through the inspections.
"Behind the growth and glamour of the MCN industry lies a blind spot in the protection of workers' rights," Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon said. "Since most of the workers are young people just starting their careers, we will conduct thorough inspections to ensure there are no illegal or unlawful practices such as overwork and unpaid labor."
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