Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon (C) talks with foreign workers harvesting lettuce during his visit to a greenhouse complex in Wanju, North Jeolla Province, on Aug. 8, 2025. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — In response to a series of human rights violations involving foreign workers, South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor has announced intensified labor monitoring and a focused reporting campaign.
From August 11 to 29, the ministry will operate a special period for reporting labor rights abuses affecting foreign workers, particularly in rural areas with poor working conditions. The government plans to focus on workplaces with a high concentration of foreign labor, using historical reporting data to target inspections.
Beginning August 20, every Wednesday will be designated as “Foreign Worker Rights Reporting and Counseling Day,” during which labor lawyers, labor inspectors, and translators will provide on-site consultations and reporting services at employment centers.
Additionally, the ministry will send messages to all foreign workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS) and their employers, encouraging them to report human rights violations. Information on discrimination reporting and counseling will also be disseminated next week.
Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon made an unannounced visit to the Coupang Dongtan Logistics Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on July 30, 2025, to inspect the working and resting conditions of workers amid the heatwave. (Image provided by the Ministry of Employment and Labor)
Efforts to promote the reporting system will extend to foreign workers outside the EPS through online campaigns and informational leaflets. Minister of Employment Kim Young-hoon visited a farm in Wanju, Jeollabuk-do, on August 8 to hear firsthand from foreign workers and assess their living conditions.
During the visit, he inspected the heating and cooling facilities at worker accommodations and checked the safety measures in place at a lettuce farm during the ongoing hot weather.
Minister Kim also presented foreign workers with name tags bearing both their native language and Korean, as part of a new “Foreign Worker Name Campaign,” aimed at fostering respect and recognition for foreign workers as integral members of the workforce.
Government Launches Campaign to Combat Discrimination Against Foreign Workers in South Korea (Image supported by ChatGPT)
The ministry intends to further promote social awareness through these initiatives, which will include providing all EPS workers with Korean name tags and expanding human rights and workplace safety training for employers.
Kim emphasized that the protection of labor rights for all foreign workers is a top priority for the government, stressing that any form of harassment, violence, or human rights violation is unacceptable. He vowed to implement comprehensive measures to protect the rights of foreign workers and combat discrimination in the workplace.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
