Foreigners Face More Work-Related Risks Than Koreans
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Foreign workers are more exposed than their Korean counterparts to industrial injury, but are often discouraged from seeking compensation when they are victims of work-related injuries, a lawmaker said Monday.
Rep. Kim Sang-hee of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) urged the Ministry of Labor to work out an effective plan to improve the human rights conditions of foreign workers and their health benefits.
At a National Assembly committee session, Kim said that 76.7 percent of work-related injuries this year occurred in workplaces hiring 50 workers or less.
``Given that the majority of foreign workers are employed in manufacturers having around 50 employees, they have much more chance than Korean workers of becoming the victims of work-related injuries,'' Kim said.
According to the ministry, a total of 694,862 foreign nationals are employed in the local manufacturing, agriculture and services sectors ― some 200,000 of them are here illegally.
Kim said 0.82 percent of foreign workers suffer industrial injuries, but many do not inform the authorities of their injuries.
``Illegal workers fear that their status might be revealed when they seek compensation for injury, which would result in them being deported. Business owners are also fined by the government when they are found to hire illegal workers,'' said the lawmaker.
Probably, these factors are behind the foreign workers' low report rate, she said.
Kim called on ministry officials to encourage owners of businesses hiring foreign workers to take necessary precautionary measures to prevent industrial injuries.
As human rights are a universal value, she claimed illegal workers should be entitled to medical treatment without revealing their immigration status.