Our Story
We built IKLPA because
Korean workers kept falling through the cracks.
This is not a polished origin story. It's an honest account of a problem we saw, a decision we made, and the work we're still doing.
The Problem We Couldn't Ignore
Minnie Choi, while working with Korean communities overseas, kept encountering the same pattern: workers facing wrongful dismissal, wage theft, or harassment — but with nowhere to turn. Not because help didn't exist, but because the systems weren't built for them. Language barriers, unfamiliarity with local labor law, and fear of retaliation left people suffering in silence.
Deciding to Build Something
Rather than waiting for institutions to catch up, Minnie started mapping out what a real support structure might look like. Not a law firm. Not a hotline. Something that could meet people where they were — before the crisis peaked — and help them understand their situation, organize their evidence, and know their options.
IKLPA Takes Shape
The International Korean Labor Protection Agency was formally established as an early-stage nonprofit and social enterprise. The core team was small, the ambition was large, and the commitment was clear: build something honest, practical, and actually useful for Korean workers who fall through the cracks of conventional legal systems.
Still Early. Still Building.
We don't pretend to have solved everything. IKLPA is still finding its footing — developing tools, building partnerships, and learning from every person who shares their story with us. What we do know is that this work is necessary. And we're not stopping.
What we believe
The principles that guide every decision we make.
Silence is not consent
When workers don't speak up, it's rarely because nothing happened. It's because the cost of speaking felt too high. We're here to lower that cost.
Early action changes outcomes
The single biggest factor in labor dispute outcomes is whether records were kept from the start. We make that possible before people know they'll need it.
Honesty over promises
We don't tell people what they want to hear. We tell them what they need to know — clearly, without spin, without pretending certainty we don't have.
A note from the founder
"I didn't start IKLPA because I had all the answers. I started it because I kept meeting people who deserved better, and I couldn't keep walking past."
— Minnie Choi, Founder & CEO
If this resonates with you, we'd love to hear from you.