English translation of the original Korean report. Images and source documents may contain Korean text.

Change from ‘obligation of employment succession’ to ‘efforts to maintain employment’… Calls for resolution of unpaid wages and unpaid four major insurance payments

Bucheon City (Mayor Jo Yong-ik) is under controversy over easing employment succession conditions for workers during the process of selecting a new operating institution for Bucheon City-run Senior Citizens’ Professional Hospital.

After the termination of the entrusted contract due to the 330 million won fund leakage issue of the previous entrusted institution, the labor union has called for responsible measures from Bucheon City as employment stability has also become uncertain.

According to the National Health Care Industry Labor Union’s Incheon-Bucheon Regional Branch on the 5th, the union is scheduled to hold a press conference at the city hall’s assembly hall entrance in the afternoon of the same day, demanding the guarantee of employment succession, resolution of unpaid wages, and an official meeting with Mayor Jo Yong-ik of Bucheon City.

The core of the controversy is the change in the conditions for entrusted operation. According to the union, the original agreement included a provision that all employees would be succeeded according to their own will, but the agreement with the temporary entrusted institution now includes a provision that prioritizes the re-hiring process based on the employee’s consent, aiming to make efforts to maintain employment.

The union claims that this change effectively lowers the obligation to guarantee the employment of workers to a level of effort.

Bucheon City-run Senior Citizens’ Professional Hospital is a public hospital that opened in 2010, specializing in the treatment of elderly diseases and dementia patients.

Bucheon City has operated the hospital through a private entrusted system since its opening, and has gone through the Daein Medical Foundation, Hyeewon Medical Foundation, and Daeseong Foundation, currently being temporarily operated by Salt Medical Foundation. The city announced a new recruitment announcement on the 29th of last month to select a new entrusted institution to operate the hospital and senior citizens’ professional nursing home from January 2027.

■ 333.804 million won in funds transferred outside the hospital and nursing home… Employment instability also spreads

According to the specific audit results of Bucheon City, which was disclosed by Member Yoon Dan-bi of the Bucheon City Council, a total of 333.804 million won was transferred outside the facilities, including 184.3 million won in 12 instances from the hospital operated by Daeseong Foundation, and 149.504 million won in 18 instances from the nursing home.

Of this, 61.494 million won had not been recovered as of the audit. However, not all funds transferred outside have been finally confirmed as losses.

The Bucheon City has terminated the entrusted management contract with Daesung Foundation, and Daesung Foundation has filed an administrative lawsuit against this decision.

The union claimed that workers suffered damages including unpaid wages, unpaid four major insurance premiums, and failure to accumulate retirement pensions during the process of Daesung Foundation’s application for corporate rehabilitation. In particular, the union criticized Bucheon City for failing to properly supervise the operations of the entrusted agency and being passive in resolving the workers’ damages.

■ Bucheon City ‘Adjustment for Separation of Debt and Employment Transfer’… Union ‘Employment Security Should Be Clearly Stated’

The conflict over employment transfer conditions resurfaced in September. At that time, the Bucheon City side stated that there was not much practical difference between the existing employment transfer and the re-hiring process, and explained that it would review measures to ensure employee stability during the formal entrusted contract process in 2027.

However, the union is concerned that if employment transfer is not clearly guaranteed during the process of selecting a new entrusted agency, workers could once again be subjected to employment instability.

The union plans to demand an apology from Bucheon City for its inadequate management and supervision, measures to prevent recurrence, resolution of unpaid retirement benefits, four major insurance premiums, and unpaid wages, assurance of employment stability for hospital and nursing home workers, and enhanced financial and policy support for the operation of public hospitals.

The press conference will be attended by Oh Myung-sim, head of the Incheon-Bucheon Regional Branch of the Health and Medical Workers’ Union, and Hong Bo-wook, head of the Bucheon City General Hospital Branch.

The union emphasized that during the period when the entrusted agency changed multiple times, workers suffered from employment instability, and urged Bucheon City to ensure employment transfer in order to guarantee patient safety and continuity of treatment.

In response, Bucheon City explained in an official statement that it had revised the agreement wording to distinguish between the unpaid debts of Daesung Foundation and the employment transfer issue.

Currently, the temporary operating agency, Salt Medical Foundation, has rehired 119 out of 121 original employees (98.3%), and Bucheon City has stated that it will review measures to ensure employment stability during the process of selecting a new entrusted agency in 2027.