Lee: "Migrant Workers Are Our Neighbors, Too"... Donates Winter Clothes

Winter Clothes to Be Donated at Nov. 15 Sharing Event in Ulsan

"Regardless of Nationality, the Value of Their Work Does Not"

Pledges Respect and Safe Workplaces for Migrant Workers

President Lee Jaemyung said he would take part in a winter clothing donation drive for migrant workers, who are particularly vulnerable to the cold. He described migrant workers as colleagues and neighbors who help build the country’s industrial workplaces and communities, and pledged to create working environments where everyone can work safely and with respect, regardless of nationality.

South Korean President Lee Jaemyung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Nov. 10, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

On November 10, President Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter) under the title “Sharing a Warm Winter with the Migrant Workers Around Us.” “Winter can feel especially cold when you are in an unfamiliar land, far from your home and family,” he wrote.

Introducing a winter clothing and workwear sharing event for migrant workers to be held in Ulsan on November 15, President Lee said, “I also plan to send winter clothes and contribute in my own small way.” He added, “A single garment may not keep out all the cold, but I believe the warmth of the sentiment behind it will remain for a long time.”

He also stressed the need to improve public perceptions of migrant workers and protect their labor rights. “Migrant workers are colleagues and neighbors who help build our industrial workplaces and communities,” he said. “Their nationalities and languages may differ, but the value of their work does not.” He pledged that “the government will also make sure that everyone is treated with respect and can work safely.”

The event is part of the “2026 Migrant Worker Winter Clothing and Workwear Sharing Campaign,” which involves labor and civic groups, businesses, and others. On October 1, 61 labor and civic groups, including the Public Solidarity Fund and the Jeon Tae-il Foundation, launched the campaign committee. On November 15, the committee plans to distribute winter clothes, workwear, and other items to around 3,000 migrant workers in Ulsan and nearby areas at the Autovalley Welfare Center in Buk-gu, Ulsan.

“I hope migrant workers remember this winter for the warm helping hands of their neighbors, rather than the cold wind,” President Lee said.

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