"Tears During Investigation: Forklift Operator Who Violated Human Rights Claims 'We Were Close, I Had No Malicious Intent'"

Migrant Worker Tied Up and Mocked at Naju Factory in Jeollanam-do
Perpetrator Apologizes: "We Were Usually Close, I Had No Malicious Intent"
Labor Authorities Launch Investigation into Additional Harassment

In a factory in Naju, Jeollanam-do, a Korean forklift operator in his 50s, who violated the human rights of a Sri Lankan migrant worker in his 30s by tying him to a forklift, was seen in tears during the investigation.

According to Kukmin Ilbo on July 25, a team of 15, including labor inspectors from the Gwangju Regional Employment and Labor Office's Regional Labor Supervision Department, conducted an on-site investigation into the human rights violation case involving a migrant worker at a brick manufacturing plant in Naju, Jeollanam-do.

Forklift operator B, who was interviewed by the labor inspectors, reportedly said, "I have nothing more to say. I am sorry," and added, "I was usually close with victim A. I had no malicious intent," while shedding tears.

In February, at a brick manufacturing factory in Naju, Jeollanam-do, Korean workers were seen mistreating Sri Lankan foreign workers by lifting them with a forklift. They were tightly bound to the forklift cargo with plastic wrap. Gwangju Jeonnam Migrant Workers Network

This incident came to light on July 23 when a migrant worker support group released a one-minute video. The footage showed migrant worker A tied to a forklift with cargo plastic and being lifted into the air, dragged around. Notably, other workers nearby did not stop B; instead, some filmed the scene with their mobile phones or pressured A, saying, "Did you do something wrong? You should admit your fault."

A explained why he had to endure such a situation. On July 24, Son Sangyong, executive director of the Jeonnam Migrant Workers Human Rights Network, appeared on JTBC's "Incident Commander" and said, "A has been enduring and working in Korea to buy a house in his home country and marry his girlfriend with the money he earned here. However, as verbal abuse and ridicule continued, he eventually sought help from those around him."

A entered Korea in December last year on an E-9 non-professional employment visa. However, he reportedly suffered continuous verbal abuse and ridicule, partly due to his poor Korean language skills. Unable to endure any longer, A sought help from the Gwangju-Jeonnam Migrant Workers Human Rights Network. The labor authorities plan to investigate whether there were additional acts of harassment beyond those shown in the video.

A migrant worker from Sri Lanka, Mr. A, is tied to a pile of bricks and hanging from a forklift. A worker filming this scene is also visible. Jeonnam Migrant Workers Human Rights Network

President Lee Jaemyung stressed through his social networking service (SNS), "We will strictly punish all forms of barbaric human rights violations against socially vulnerable people." He reiterated the incident during the opening remarks at a presidential chief aide meeting, saying, "He came to Korea from a distant foreign country to earn money, only to be treated with contempt. Imagine how painful, lonely, and sorrowful that must have been. I instruct all ministries to thoroughly identify the reality of human rights violations in marginalized areas such as minorities, the socially vulnerable, and foreign workers, and to report practical measures to prevent recurrence."