Migrant workers at work in a factory. (This photo is not related to the content of the article.) (Yonhap)
CHANGWON•SACHEON, Jan. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — Two undocumented migrant workers injured while fleeing an immigration enforcement operation in South Gyeongsang Province last year have been officially recognized as victims of industrial accidents, a decision that labor groups say highlights gaps in workplace safety and protections for foreign workers.
The South Gyeongsang branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said Thursday that the two workers, both Vietnamese nationals, were granted industrial accident status by the Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service after filing claims last month.
The injuries occurred in September 2025 during a government crackdown on undocumented workers at an agricultural machinery manufacturing plant in Sacheon, according to the union.
Three undocumented workers fell while attempting to evade officials from the local immigration office during the operation. Two of them suffered serious injuries, including fractures to the thoracic spine, and required hospitalization.
Labor advocates said the injured workers were unable to receive proper medical treatment for nearly four months because they lacked the means to pay for care and had no income following the accident. With assistance from labor groups, the two workers eventually applied for industrial accident compensation, which was approved this week.
The third worker involved in the fall reportedly disappeared after receiving an initial injury diagnosis and did not file a claim. Labor officials believe the individual may have returned to Vietnam.
Separately, the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s Jinju office has already referred the case involving the employer to prosecutors, recommending indictment without detention.
Investigators accused the company’s owner of violating the Occupational Safety and Health Act by failing to implement adequate safety measures that contributed to the fall.
The recognition of the injuries as industrial accidents marks a rare acknowledgment of workplace protections for undocumented migrant workers, a group that labor advocates say remains particularly vulnerable to unsafe conditions and limited access to medical and legal support in South Korea.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
