Employer Booked for Spraying Fire Extinguisher at Migrant Workers Over Work Ethic

▲ An employer spraying a fire extinguisher

An employer has been booked by police and is under investigation for spraying a fire extinguisher at Vietnamese migrant workers because they allegedly did not work hard enough.

The Goheung Police Station in South Jeolla Province announced today (September 23) that it has booked and is investigating employer A (in his 60s) without detention on charges of assault.

Employer A, who works in the fisheries sector, is accused of spraying a fire extinguisher multiple times at two Vietnamese migrant workers he employed, at a residential facility near Nokdong, Goheung-gun, South Jeolla Province, at around 6:00 p.m. on September 19.

Immediately following the incident, the victimized migrant workers went to the police station to report A.

During police questioning, A reportedly stated, "We had conflicts because the migrant workers were not working hard enough."

Simultaneously with the police investigation, the Yeosu Branch of the Gwangju Regional Employment and Labor Administration has formed a dedicated team to verify the facts and implement protective measures for the migrant workers.

The Gwangju-Jeonnam Migrant Workers Human Rights Network, a support organization for migrant workers, held a press conference the previous day (September 22) releasing footage capturing the scene at the time of the incident, urging a thorough investigation and strict response from the police and labor authorities.

Police are investigating the exact circumstances of the incident based on statements from the victimized migrant workers and A.

(Photo provided by Gwangju-Jeonnam Migrant Workers Human Rights Network, Yonhap News)

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