[GLOBAL ECONOMIC TIMES]  Two Filipino housekeepers who left their lodgings during the last Chuseok holiday and lost contact are at risk of illegal stay as they did not return by the final return deadline.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 26th, the private company that hired the housekeepers in question filed a report on changes in employment of foreigners to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 25th. This is a procedure that employers must report if a foreign worker is absent from work for more than 5 days without a justifiable reason.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor receives the report and transfers it to the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice goes through procedures such as identifying their whereabouts and requesting their attendance to ultimately determine whether they are staying illegally.

The two Filipino housekeepers who left their accommodation in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul on the 15th with their luggage have lost contact since then. They entered the country through the Employment Permit System last June, received training for a month, and were assigned to each home to begin work on the 3rd.

To date, the whereabouts of the two people are unknown, and the specific reason why they left the accommodation has not been revealed. If they do not voluntarily return to their country and remain in the country illegally, they may be forcibly deported.

Experts point out that this incident has revealed loopholes in the foreign domestic worker management system, emphasizing the need to establish a more systematic management system. Additionally, it is argued that efforts are needed to create an environment where foreign workers can work stably.