ABOUT KOSWEC

THE rights of the seafarers

THE rights of the seafarers
  • Seafarers boarding distant water fishing vessels have the following rights and are entitled to protection in accordance with the Seafarers Act and the government’s human rights protection policy.
  • Seafarers must check the employment contract and be well aware of their rights, and in case of human rights violations or grievances, please report them to the platform or call center.

Minimum guaranteed wage (2025)

  • Seafarers with less than 36 months of experience: Average monthly salary: USD 567
  • Seafarers with over 36 months of experience: Average monthly salary: USD 673

  • The minimum guaranteed wage is renewed annually. Since you have the right to receive wages higher than the minimum guaranteed wage, the wages in the labor contract must be higher than the minimum guaranteed wage. At the end of the contract, the shipping company must pay the minimum guaranteed wage (average monthly wage) or higher by adding up the monthly wages and various allowances paid during the contract period and converting them to a monthly amount.
  • * Only Korean nationals with experience on deep-sea fishing vessels in the same industry are recognized.

Severance pay

  • Seafarers who have worked for more than one year have the right to receive severance pay.

Prohibition of wage deductions and retentions

  • The recruitment agency in the country of origin or the recruitment agency in Korea cannot deduct or reserve the wages stipulated in the labor contract for any reason, such as the repayment of advance payments, commissions, or deposits. You and your family have the right to receive the wages stipulated in the labor contract without delay every month without any reservations or deductions.
    • * You need to check if your wages are paid because the exchange rate is calculated incorrectly.

labor contract

  • The labor contract is concluded between the seafarers and the Korean shipping company. A contract concluded between seafarers and a dispatching company, regardless of its name, cannot be considered an labor contract. Korean shipping companies must write labor contracts in a language that seafarers can understand, obtain signatures directly from seafarers before leaving the country, and provide a copy of the labor contract to seafarers after concluding a labor contract. Since an labor contract is required to know what one's rights and obligations are, it is recommended that seafarers keep a copy of the labor contract or take a photo of it with their cell phone until the labor contract ends.

Recruitment fees and security deposits

  • The vessel owner must cover all recruitment-related fees. Recruitment agencies are prohibited from collecting any fees from migrant seafarers during the recruitment process, including recruitment fees, security deposits, or service fees. Korean recruitment agencies must not enter into contracts with migrant seafarers to bear such costs, nor with the seafarers& family to guarantee the prevention of the seafarers& desertion.
  • * Please gather evidence if you have paid or have signed a contract to pay for the fees.

Drinking water

  • In the case of free supply of drinking water, foreign seafarers are provided with the same amount of drinking water as Korean seafarers.
  • * The same amount of water is provided free of charge. All seafarers can purchase additional water.

Rest hours

  • No matter how much work you do, you are guaranteed at least 6 hours of continuous rest time (including sleeping time) per day. In addition, you are guaranteed at least 308 hours of rest time per month. Record exactly how much rest time you are given each day in the work hours log. And make sure that the total amount of rest time per month is at least 308 hours.
  • * Rest periods are guaranteed to be 10 hours per day (minimum 6 consecutive hours) and 77 hours per week, but are operated flexibly on a monthly basis.

Voyage period

  • Regardless of the employment period in the labor contract, all ships are required to enter a port within one year of starting their voyage. After entering a port, while the ship is at anchor, the seafarers may disembark and remain in the port country.

Accident Compensation

  • If you suffer an accident while working, you can receive compensation for the accident as follows according to the Seamen's Act.
  • ✓ Medical care compensation: Treatment until complete recovery
  • ✓ Injury compensation: In case of treatment, 100% of the normal wage for up to 4 months, 70% after 4 months
  • ✓ Disability Compensation: If disability remains, payment is made according to the level.
  • ✓ Compensation for bereaved family: Paid to the bereaved family in case of death(average onboard wages of 1,300 days)
  • ✓ Funeral expenses: 120 days of average boarding wages
  • ✓ Compensation for missing seafarers: Compensate for a missing seafarer including 1 month of ordinary plus 3 months of average onboard wages.
  • ✓ Compensation for loss of belongings: Compensation for the loss of belongings due to the maritime accident(up to two months ordinary wages)

  • Ordinary wages: Contracted wages determined to be paid to seafarers regularly and uniformly.
  • Average onboard wages: The amount is calculated by dividing the total wages earned during the seafarer&s most recent 3 months of boarding by the total number of days in that period.

Passport

  • The captain or the shipper's agent must not confiscate or retain your passport. If the shipping company stores your passport in a passport locker installed on board the ship, you have the right to have a key to the locker and must be able to access the locker at any time.

Internet use

  • All distant water vessels are equipped with Wi-Fi, providing seafarers with free internet access for at least three hours each day.

Grievance system

  • If your labour contract is not honoured—such as in cases regarding wages or rest hours—or if you suffer human rights violations on board, you may file a grievance in the following ways.
  • * Be prepared with the following information when filing: the name of the vessel, the vessel company's name, your embarkation and disembarkation dates and locations, the recruitment agency's name and contact details, and the fishing area. It is advisable to record this information for reference.