Nintendo investigating Wii U manfacturer after Foxconn admits illegal child labour

Wii U manufacturer Foxconn is being investigated by Nintendo for using child workers in a Chinese factory.

Foxconn confessed to using workers as young as 14 to cover a lack of full employees. The legal age of work in China is 16.

"Our investigation has shown that the interns in question, who ranged in age from 14 to 16, had worked in that campus for approximately three weeks," Foxconn admitted in a statement to Reuters.

"This is not only a violation of China's labour law, it is also a violation of Foxconn policy and immediate steps have been taken to return the interns in question to their educational institutions."

Earlier claims suggested these workers were forced to attend the factory for extra school credits. If they didn't do so, expulsion would commence (via Kotaku).

Nintendo has responded with a statement:

"We take our responsibilities as a global company very seriously and are committed to an ethical policy on sourcing, manufacture and labour."

"If we were to find that any of our production partners did not meet our guidelines, we would require them to modify their practices according to Nintendo's policy."

Thanks, Eurogamer.