A Sri Lankan migrant worker said he continues to suffer from trauma months after co-workers tied him to a forklift and mocked him at a brick factory in Naju, South Jeolla, in an incident that has fueled national outrage and triggered a government investigation into the abuse of foreign laborers.
The worker told the JoongAng Ilbo in a phone interview on Thursday that he continues to “suffer headaches from the trauma of being tied to a forklift” and mocked by co-workers at a brick factory in Naju, South Jeolla, earlier this year. Months after the incident, the video went viral online this week.
“The forklift operator caused me tremendous pain. The shock I felt back then still gives me headaches,” the worker said. “I was so humiliated. I don’t even want to think about it.”
The incident occurred around noon on Feb. 26, when the worker was hoisted into the air by a forklift while tied with white plastic sheeting.
Jeonnam Migrant Workers’ Human Rights Network (translated) released a 58-second video of the scene. In the video, the worker is shown completely immobilized and bound to a load of bricks. Several workers can be seen laughing and filming the scene with their phones.
One Korean-speaking man taunts him, saying, “Did you do something wrong? Say you did.”
The worker said he was kept tied to the forklift for about five minutes, and after being released, he continued to retch.
The worker had entered Korea in December 2024 on an E-9 visa under the Employment Permit System and had been working at the factory for around three months when the incident occurred.
The worker was subjected to abuse despite making no mistakes on the job, according to Jeonnam Migrant Workers’ Human Rights Network.
The forklift operator reportedly blamed the worker for “failing to teach a fellow Sri Lankan how to wrap bricks properly.”
The worker eventually contacted the human rights group for help after the bullying continued. About 20 workers are currently employed at the factory, including the worker.
“They never apologized to me directly,” the worker said. “They only said they ‘regretted’ it to the media. I no longer want to work in a place where verbal abuse is the norm.”
Jeonnam Migrant Workers’ Human Rights Network held a press conference outside Naju City Hall on Thursday with the worker present.
“A shocking and unbelievable incident has occurred, leaving us all in deep shock and anger,” the group said. “What happened to this migrant worker cannot be dismissed as a joke or punishment.
“This horrific violation of human rights is not a random outburst but the result of a culture of structural discrimination and violence against migrant workers deeply rooted in Korean society. Today is the victim’s birthday, but instead of celebrating, he is spending the day surrounded by fear and violence.”
President Lee Jae Myung condemned the incident on Facebook, saying he would “respond firmly to any human rights violations.”
After sharing the video, he wrote, “I couldn’t believe my eyes. I never imagined such abuse could happen in a democratic country and cultural powerhouse.”
“This is an inexcusable act of violence and a clear violation of human rights against a minority and vulnerable person. We will make sure that no one abuses a migrant worker’s vulnerable status to exploit or abuse them. Just as we value Korean citizens working abroad, the basic rights of migrant workers must be protected.”
The police and the Ministry of Employment and Labor have launched an investigation.
The ministry said it would conduct a thorough inspection of the factory and investigate whether there have been other instances of workplace violence, bullying, or unpaid wages.
“If any legal violations are found, we will respond strictly,” Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon said. “We will also step up preventive inspections of workplaces that employ foreign workers to better protect their labor rights.”
