Thayaraj isn't the only one in dire straits. In one extreme case, a Filipino migrant worker was waiting to receive over 30 million won in back-wages accumulated over four years. Unpaid wages are a fact of life for many workers, both Korean and not, during the IMF-era. According to the Labor Ministry, almost 79,000 Korean workers hadn't been paid 297 billion won in wages since January. But most of those Korean workers don't need to worry about costly fines and possible detention if they aren't paid.
Migrant workers do.
The government wants us to go. I have no money. I'm not asking for free money. Please, minister, no more penalty. The JCMK is currently lobbying the government to repeal the penalty system so that people like Thayaraj can leave.