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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Asiana Airlines is drawing criticism for reportedly offering differing severance payments to domestic and overseas employees affected by the upcoming sale of its cargo division to Air Incheon by July.
According to aviation industry sources on May 21, Asiana Airlines has verbally informed domestic cargo division employees working in Korea of a severance payment of 50 million KRW, while overseas employees based in regions such as the Americas, Europe, and Southeast Asia were offered an amount equivalent to three months’ salary.
Approximately 800 employees belong to the cargo division, with around 100 stationed at overseas branches. All overseas staff are foreign nationals subject to local labor laws, and their severance payments reportedly range from several million KRW to about 10 million KRW.
Overseas employees have submitted petitions to Asiana’s headquarters, alleging the severance disparities are unfair. They argue that since overseas branches are not separate legal entities, the company should comply with the domestic labor standards act, a claim the airline denies.
If the company enforces the differential payments, overseas employees are expected to file complaints with labor authorities in their respective countries, including South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor.
An Asiana Airlines representative stated that the severance payment amounts could vary between domestic and overseas employees due to differing circumstances.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
