Foreign workers call for protection, equality in Seoul

On Sunday, about 200 foreign nationals working in South Korea rallied in central Seoul, calling for equal treatment and sharing cases of both institutional and informal discrimination they say they have experienced in the workplace.

The event, held ahead of International Workers' Day, came as many participants said they would be unable to take time off on the day despite the government’s recent designation of it as a public holiday.

The rally took place in front of the Seoul Regional Office of Employment and Labor, where workers ranging from farmers and factory workers to language teachers, along with labor rights activists, delivered speeches before marching about 3 kilometers toward Cheong Wa Dae.

Udaya Rai, head of the Migrants Trade Union, argued that restrictions on changing workplaces under the employment permit system force foreign workers to endure widespread rights violations. He said this has led to wage arrears and industrial accident death rates several times higher than those of Korean nationals.

“Korea’s many industrial sectors cannot operate without migrant workers, yet many are still left without basic rights,” Rai said. “The Lee Jae Myung administration should guarantee labor rights so workers can avoid forced labor, harassment and violence, rather than approaching migrant worker issues from a corporate perspective.”

Erin, chair of the Seoul branch of the Native Language Teachers Union, said she was forced to continue working despite injury and illness and was monitored through surveillance cameras during classes.

Aung Jin, a factory worker from Myanmar, said many foreign workers are injured due to inadequate safety management, but fear dismissal if they report injuries, while employers often try to avoid responsibility.

Yang Kyung-soo, head of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, urged Koreans to show solidarity with migrant workers, emphasizing that labor and human rights are interconnected.

“If migrants’ rights are not guaranteed, the rights of local workers will also be threatened,” Yang said, calling for collective efforts to improve labor and human rights for foreign workers in Korea.