Foreigners form union in first for Korea

A group of foreign nationals working in Korea has formed a labor union, the law firm representing them said Tuesday, in a first for the country, according to Yonhap news.

Five foreign lecturers working at an educational institute in Incheon, west of Seoul, received approval from local authorities on Nov. 24 to launch the union, according to the firm. Its members later increased to nine.

The union was initiated by Aevan Lloyd, an English lecturer from Australia, who filed a complaint with a local labor center over unpaid wages for overtime work in July. The case was later settled, but Llyod said he feared retaliatory action from his employer.

"We decided that if this happens again, the best way to do it is to take collective action, and the only way was to establish a labor union," Llyod said in a phone interview.

Facing unfair practices at the workplace was one thing, but not having a labor union to come to his defense motivated Lloyd to solicit members, the 26-year-old said.