Increase in Workplace Harassment of Foreigners... Provincial Police Agencies to Investigate Directly

[Financial News] As incidents of harassment of foreigners at workplaces surge, provincial police agencies nationwide have decided to conduct direct investigations.
According to the police on the 19th, the National Police Agency will conduct special criminal activities related to human rights violations of foreign workers until November 25. The investigation will be strengthened as the harsh treatment of foreign workers emerges as a social issue.
Earlier, in February, it was reported that a Sri Lankan worker was harassed while tied to a forklift at a brick factory in Naju, Jeonnam.
The forklift driver, Mr. A, was booked by the police and the Ministry of Employment and Labor on charges of violating the Labor Standards Act, special confinement, and special assault. As related videos spread recently, President Lee Jae-myung emphasized, "We will strictly punish violence and human rights violations against social minorities." In Yeongam, Jeonnam, a Nepalese migrant worker suffered harassment and eventually took his own life.
In fact, workplace harassment cases with foreign victims have recently surged. According to data submitted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor to Congressman Kim Wi-sang's office of the People Power Party, there were 225 reports of workplace harassment by foreign workers last year. This has increased annually from 65 cases in 2020, growing about 3.5 times over four years.
The police plan to focus on cracking down on illegal activities that mainly occur along with workplace harassment. They will strengthen reconnaissance and intelligence gathering to prevent human rights violations at workplaces. This will create an atmosphere of suppression for assault, injury, confinement, coercion, insult, and sexual violence. Workplace harassment managed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor under the Labor Standards Act is excluded.
Crimes arising from hierarchical relationships at workplaces will be directly investigated by the provincial police agency's criminal task force. Assaults between employees will be handled by the police station. One team from the provincial police agency's criminal task force and one team from the police station's violent crime team have been organized as a task force. To encourage crime victims to report, the "Illegal Resident Notification Exemption System" is utilized. This system does not report the personal information of undocumented migrant workers who come to report to the police to immigration authorities. Various methods such as civic groups are used to gather intelligence, and a hotline is established with the Ministry of Employment and Labor to promptly notify them of investigation cases.
A police official said, "We will actively identify and block human rights violations targeting social minorities, such as harsh treatment of foreign workers."
unsaid@fnnews.com Kang Myung-yeon Reporter