Three individuals from South Korea have obtained unpaid wages after a local court intervened against their former boss, an entrepreneur also from South Korea.

The employer, surnamed Hyun, opened several restaurants and entertainment companies in Shanghai starting in 2014. When these failed to prosper, Hyun closed her businesses in the city in 2017, according to Hongkou District People阵 Court.

After Hyun withdrew from the market, three of her South Korean employees claimed she still owed them 110,000 yuan (US$16,443) in unpaid salaries. The three approached a local labor arbitration panel which upheld their request for payment, although at that time Hyun was unreachable, the court said.

Fearing that Hyun would leave the country without compensating the three, the court imposed a foreign travel ban with cooperation from local Customs officials.

Hyun was recently intercepted while attempting to fly back to South Korea. After clearing her debts with her former employees, the ban was lifted.