"Internal Injuries Caused by Air Gun"... Government to Preemptively Detect Human Rights Violations Against Migrant Workers

Implementation of Measures by the Ministry of Employment and Labor to Prevent Human Rights Violations Against Migrant Workers
Appointment of ‘Foreign Human Rights Leaders’ Familiar with Korean Society
1.1 Million Migrant Workers... “Respect Regardless of Nationality”

A preemptive monitoring system to detect human rights violations against migrant workers will be established in the near future. Supervision will be strengthened in regions where there are heightened concerns about human rights abuses. Authorities plan to swiftly separate victims from perpetrators and support migrant workers who have been unfairly treated so they can change their workplaces. This comes as the government announced measures to prevent human rights violations, following recent social controversy over harsh treatment of migrant workers, including a case where a company owner caused internal injuries to a worker with an air gun.

On June 10, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that it will implement “Measures to Prevent Human Rights Violations of Migrant Workers” to prevent such abuses and respond quickly when they occur. The number of migrant workers in Korea has surpassed 1.1 million, making them a core workforce in industrial sites. However, many victims conceal their experiences due to language barriers and concerns over their residency status. The ministry stated that through these new measures, it aims to identify human rights violations in advance and establish a response system that enables swift protection of rights and institutional improvements.

Strengthening Preemptive Monitoring Systems... Introduction of ‘Foreign Human Rights Leaders’

The most notable change is the establishment of a “preemptive monitoring system” to detect human rights violations early. The Ministry of Employment and Labor will operate ongoing online anonymous surveys in the workers’ native languages, linking the results to on-site inspections. Additionally, a dedicated section for reporting human rights violations against migrant workers has been added to the “Anonymous Report Center for Employees” on the labor portal, lowering barriers to reporting.

A field-oriented surveillance network will also be activated. Migrant workers who are highly familiar with life and working conditions in Korea will be designated as “foreign human rights leaders,” serving as a bridge to promptly report dangerous cases in the field to local authorities. Recruitment for human rights leaders by region will begin in mid-June.

Additional Specialized Inspections... Raising Awareness Among Managers

Supervision and victim protection procedures will be significantly strengthened. In addition to the existing 150 regular inspections, the Ministry will conduct more than 100 specialized inspections focusing on assault and harassment in areas with a high concentration of migrant workers starting in June, particularly where there is a high risk of human rights violations.

“Dedicated migrant worker teams” will be established at 14 regional labor offices in areas with high concentrations of migrant workers. These teams will oversee the investigation and response to human rights violations, ensuring that when a case occurs, the victim and perpetrator are quickly separated by linking with nearby shelters. The Ministry also plans to continuously operate “Consultation and Reporting Days” to improve accessibility.

Efforts will also be made to fundamentally prevent human rights violations by raising awareness among business owners and managers. Workplaces deemed vulnerable in foreign worker employment will be included in the “Self-Improvement of Working Conditions Project,” supporting employers in voluntarily checking the employment status of migrant workers. Specialized labor management consulting on communication, conflict management, and human rights protection will also be provided.

Support for Changing Workplaces for Victims... Strengthening Inter-Agency Information Sharing to Eliminate Blind Spots

Legal and institutional measures will also be revised to structurally prevent human rights violations. The government will pursue improvements to the “workplace change system” to ensure that migrant workers facing unfair treatment or dangerous working conditions can smoothly change their workplaces. Through the “Foreign Workforce Integrated Support Task Force,” which includes labor and management representatives as well as experts, the government aims to develop reasonable solutions that consider both workers’ rights and the labor shortages faced by small and medium-sized enterprises.

Furthermore, to eliminate blind spots that have arisen due to different authorities managing different visa categories, inter-agency information sharing will be strengthened. An integrated support system will be established to address all aspects of migrant workers’ employment, working conditions, and industrial safety, regardless of their residency status. For employers, the “Self-Improvement of Working Conditions Project” and specialized labor management consulting will be provided to promote awareness improvements on site.

Deputy Minister Kwon Changjun of the Ministry of Employment and Labor stated, “Migrant workers are colleagues who work alongside us and must be equally respected and protected regardless of nationality. We will lower the barriers to reporting and accessing remedies, quickly detect human rights violations in the field, and work to ensure that every workplace is one where all forms of labor are respected, leaving no blind spots.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.