"The reason I reacted was that he smirked"… Controversy over the statement of the perpetrator in the incident involving an immigrant worker at a brick factory in Naju

At a brick factory in Naju, Jeollanam-do, a South Korean boss reportedly stated during a police investigation that he tied up Sri Lankan immigrant worker A (31) with a pile of bricks and plastic and lifted him with a forklift because "he smirked." This revelation has shocked many.

According to the Jeollanam-do Immigrant Workers’ Human Rights Network on the 28th, the perpetrator claimed in his police statement that "he instructed A's colleague to teach him the job well, but A smirked, which led to such behavior."

A had previously expressed his frustrations, saying, "I want to know the reason I had to endure such humiliation."

In response to the perpetrator's statement, A disputed, saying, "I didn’t even smile, nor did I understand my boss's words," adding, "I didn’t know what was wrong at that time and was very scared."

The Jeollanam-do Immigrant Workers’ Human Rights Network pointed out, "Even if he did smile, how should an immigrant worker who is not proficient in Korean have reacted to his boss’s words?" They emphasized that "this incident shows a lack of understanding and human rights sensitivity towards immigrant workers."

Support for A's re-employment… "Hoping to relocate to the Yeongnam region"

Currently, A is staying at a religious facility in Jeollanam-do, supported by a civic group, and it has been reported that he sometimes skips meals due to psychological distress. The government is actively supporting A's re-employment so that he is not forcibly deported.

Jeollanam-do Governor Kim Young-rok stated on the 26th via his Facebook that "a business with good working conditions has expressed its intention to hire A, and a final decision will be made on the morning of the 28th."

However, A hopes to relocate to a city in the Yeongnam region where his friends are working. The Ministry of Employment and Labor indicated, "If there are no suitable jobs in the original region, arrangements can be made for other regions outside the capital area."

Outrage over the tying up and mocking scene in the 58-second video

This incident became known through a 58-second video released by an immigrant worker support organization on the 23rd.

The video clearly shows A being tied up with plastic alongside a load of bricks and being dragged around in a forklift. Colleagues at the scene did not intervene and were seen filming and laughing, which sparked significant controversy.

As a result of this incident, public opinion is growing for urgent measures to protect the human rights of immigrant workers.

Image source: Photo=Jeollanam-do Immigrant Workers’ Human Rights Network, News1