Employer Sprays Fire Extinguisher and Curses at Migrant Workers Resting

Local authorities are taking action after an employer committed harsh acts, including spraying a fire extinguisher at migrant workers, at a fishery workplace in Goheung County, South Jeolla Province.

Today (September 22), Goheung County released an official statement regarding the recently surfaced human rights violation case involving migrant workers, stating, "We deeply feel a heavy sense of responsibility," while offering profound consolation to the victimized workers.

Previously, a migrant worker human rights organization caused a stir by releasing a video showing an employer at a fishery workplace in Goheung hurling abuses and spraying a fire extinguisher to threaten Vietnamese workers resting in their accommodation.

In the 2-minute and 50-second video, the employer shouted "Get out quickly" and used profanity, spraying a fire extinguisher multiple times toward the migrant workers inside the room.

The powder spewed from the fire extinguisher instantly blanketed the inside of the accommodation, and the footage also captured the migrant workers covered in the powder as they cleaned up the room.

As the controversy grew, Goheung County emphasized, "We deeply regret that these allegations have resurfaced despite the preventive measures implemented in the first half of this year." The county added, "Although legal labor inspection authority rests with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, we will not leave incidents occurring within our jurisdiction unattended and will actively step up to eliminate blind spots."

Accordingly, the county plans to conduct a comprehensive inspection of all employing workplaces next month, accompanied by interpreters, to check for human rights violations such as forced unfair labor, poor accommodation conditions, and verbal and physical abuse.

Additionally, the county plans to conduct human rights training for about 400 employers and repeatedly urge related agencies, such as the Ministry of Employment and Labor, to conduct thorough on-site inspections and strengthen labor supervision.

Meanwhile, in Goheung, a case involving unpaid wages for seasonal oyster farm workers occurred in February as well, leading to the referral of the business owner and others to prosecutors.

(Photo provided by Gwangju-Jeongnam Migrant Workers' Human Rights Network, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.