South Korean President Orders Action After Video Shows Sri Lankan Migrant Worker Moved by Forklift | Sri Lankan Post News

Seoul, July 25 — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for immediate measures to prevent the mistreatment of migrant workers, following widespread outrage over a video showing a Sri Lankan worker being transported by a forklift while bound at a factory in South Korea.

“After watching the video, I couldn’t believe my eyes,” President Lee said in a Facebook post on Thursday. “It was an intolerable violation and a clear infringement of the human rights of a minority individual.”

President Lee further condemned the incident during a Cabinet Council meeting, expressing concern over its impact on South Korea’s global reputation. He instructed government ministries to investigate the working conditions of migrant laborers and other minorities, and to propose practical steps to eliminate abuse and exploitation.

While the President and senior officials did not explicitly state that the Sri Lankan worker was targeted because of his migrant status, the Ministry of Labor acknowledged the incident as indicative of the broader challenges migrant workers face in some South Korean workplaces — a concern echoed by labor rights advocates and experts.

The disturbing footage, captured in late February at a brick factory in the southwestern city of Naju, was released by South Korean human rights groups on Wednesday. According to activists, the video was filmed by another Sri Lankan worker and had been circulating privately among rights organizations before it was made public.

The incident has reignited calls for stronger protections and oversight of labor practices involving foreign workers in South Korea.