National Integration Committee "Strengthening Safety Measures for Migrant Workers... Proposing Native Language Education"

Kim Han-gil, Chairman of the National Integration Committee Photo by Yonhap News

The Presidential Committee on National Integration recently proposed that "safety measures for migrant workers must be strengthened" in response to the casualties among migrant workers caused by the fire accident at the Hwaseong battery factory.

The Committee's Special Committee on 'Coexistence with Migrant Workers' (hereinafter referred to as the Special Committee) held a performance report meeting on the morning of the 23rd at the Government Seoul Office and announced this proposal.

The Special Committee suggested that all central government ministries, local governments, and public institutions be recommended to incorporate safety measures for migrant workers when establishing safety management plans, and that safety measures for migrant workers should be strengthened within the safety management systems of key industries vulnerable to safety accident risks, such as chemical, construction, and agriculture sectors.

In particular, it called for special safety inspections targeting migrant worker-dense and small-scale workplaces, and for expanding safety education to all migrant workers regardless of nationality or visa type.

It also proposed conducting safety education concurrently in the native languages of migrant workers to ensure accurate delivery of safety education content, and actively utilizing migrant worker instructors.

The Special Committee explained the need to improve the migrant worker supply system and to prepare measures for attracting overseas talent.

Based on demand surveys by relevant ministries, it called for calculating the scale of migrant worker demand and linking it to the necessary work visas to establish an integrated migrant worker supply system, and for organizing and preparing the national statistical system related to migrant workers and regional statistical bases.

Additionally, it proposed expanding Korean language education support for overseas Koreans (F4 visa holders) in employment fields and for Koryo-saram (ethnic Koreans from the former Soviet Union) in line with increasing labor demand.

It emphasized expanding the fast track for outstanding overseas talent through shortening visa screening periods and creating separate visas, and allowing industry associations or organizations to participate in visa recommendations.

The Special Committee also presented measures to reduce illegal employment and work among migrant workers.

It proposed conducting a survey on the current status of migrant worker brokerage and mediation to establish management plans for illegal employment, and suggested simultaneously improving the system to reduce illegal employment and work through the foreigner online civil service platform 'Hi Korea.'

Kim Han-gil, Chairman of the National Integration Committee, stated, "There should be no discrimination between nationals and migrant workers when it comes to safety," and added, "I hope this will be an opportunity for our entire society to work safely and to create a dignified society where migrant workers grow together as 'our new community.'"