[서울신문] Crisis of unemployment of 470 people… Incheon Airport Lotte and Shilla Duty Free Shops will close soon

Incheon International Airport Corporation is pushing ahead with a plan for other duty-free businesses to operate the Lotte and Shilla Duty Free stores, which are closed at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 at the end of this month. This is to solve the problem of vacancy in duty-free shops and the employment of workers from affiliated companies. However, even if this measure is implemented, there is concern that more than 470 workers will lose their jobs.

Incheon Airport Corporation President Kim Gyeong-wook told reporters at Incheon Airport Corporation in Jung-gu, Incheon on the 24th, “As the operation of duty-free shops becomes difficult due to the decrease in airport users, it is not possible to bid for new duty-free businesses.” “(Excluding Lotte Duty Free and Shilla Duty Free) Businesses (Shinsegae, Hyundai Department Store, and Gyeongbokgung Duty Free Shop) have agreed to expand the operation of duty-free shops and to take over the hiring of partners who enter duty-free shops that are closed.”

The extension of the duty-free business rights of Lotte and Shilla Duty Free in Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 will end on the 28th. The four duty-free business rights in Incheon Airport Terminal 1 have been extended to Lotte and Shilla Duty Free since August last year, but the current customs law limited the extended operation period to six months, so Incheon Airport Corporation opened Lotte and Shilla Duty Free at the end of this month. In preparation for the end, discussions have been conducted with the Korea Customs Service and existing duty-free businesses.

According to the current’Notice on Bonded Patents’, existing duty-free businesses (surviving businesses) can operate duty-free shops by securing an additional area according to the patent approval of the Korea Customs Service. Upon final approval by the Korea Customs Service, three of the four duty-free business rights in Incheon Airport Terminal 1 (excluding perfumes and cosmetics business rights) will be extended by existing duty-free businesses.

However, in the process, only 165 of the 636 workers of the duty-free shop affiliated companies are transferred to employment, and the remaining 471 people lose their jobs. President Kim said, “Based on the discussions between Incheon Airport Corporation, the Korea Customs Service and the duty-free business, we drew achievements in promoting the temporary operation of existing duty-free business operators and the succession of employment of workers, but we are sorry that all employees have not reached employment succession.”

President Kim also mentioned the issue of Incheon Airport Corporation’s transition to regular employment. President Kim said, “It is the basic direction that workers who work directly related to the life and safety of the people are directly hired. It is fairness to reinstate those who were eliminated in the process of transitioning from subsidiary employees to public corporation employees to subsidiaries. there is a problem. “I am deeply thinking about how to rescue the dropouts.”

Reporter Oh Se-jin [email protected]