The company that manufactures Apple's iPhone said yesterday it found underage interns as young as 14 working at one of its factories in China.
Foxconn Technology Group said the interns were found by a company investigation at its factory in the eastern city of Yantai and were sent back to their schools.
China's minimum legal working age is 16.
Foxconn, owned by Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, said it was investigating with schools how the interns were sent to its factory.
The company didn't say how many underage interns it had found. "We recognize that full responsibility for these violations rests with our company and we have apologized to each of the students for our role in this action," Foxconn said in a statement.
"Any Foxconn employee found, through our investigation, to be responsible for these violations will have their employment immediately terminated," the company added.
Foxconn produces iPhones and iPads for Apple Inc and also assembles products for Microsoft Corp and Hewlett-Packard Co. The company gave no indication which products were made in facilities where the interns worked.
The company said it had a policy of not commenting on its customers or their products, "however we can confirm that our Yantai facility has no association with any work we carry out on behalf of Apple."
