South Korean authorities have opened multiple investigations after a Bangladeshi migrant worker was allegedly assaulted and threatened by a manager at an Incheon textile factory, a case that has drawn public scrutiny and renewed attention to migrant worker protections in South Korea.
Police in Incheon received a report on April 24 that a Korean management employee at a textile manufacturing company in Gajwa-dong, Seo District, assaulted a Bangladeshi worker at the workplace, according to local media and officials. Investigators are expected to question both the victim and the accused manager to establish the circumstances of the incident.
Video footage reported by Korean media showed the manager confronting the worker and demanding to know what he had done the previous day. The worker told local media the incident followed missed calls after work, and also alleged earlier harassment.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor said it began a special inspection on April 25 after Minister Kim Young-hoon ordered a swift response. A dedicated team from the Incheon Northern Branch of the Jungbu Regional Employment and Labor Office is reviewing possible assault, workplace harassment and occupational safety violations.
The ministry said confirmed breaches of labour laws could lead to judicial action as well as cancellation or restriction of the company’s permit to employ foreign workers. It also said support measures for the victim could include shelter assistance and procedures for changing workplaces, depending on the worker’s wishes.
The Ministry of Justice has also intervened. Its Immigrant Rights Protection Task Force and the Incheon Immigration Office carried out an on-site inquiry and interviewed the victim after the case was reported. The ministry said it would consider administrative measures, including restrictions on the employer’s ability to hire or invite foreign workers, based on the severity of any legal violations.
Justice officials also plan to discuss victim support through a public-private council on foreign residents’ rights. The ministry said the worker could receive integrated counselling, psychological support, living-expense assistance and legal aid through state-linked victim support channels.
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The case has resonated in Bangladesh, where media reported that the victim is a Bangladeshi national working in South Korea under the country’s foreign labour system. Labour groups have called for stronger safeguards for migrant workers, saying workplace abuse can be harder to report when employment status and housing are tied to an employer.
Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho said foreign workers are entitled to equal protection under South Korea’s legal order and pledged support for the victim. Labour Minister Kim described the reported violence as a serious human rights violation and a criminal act, saying authorities would investigate thoroughly and respond firmly if laws were broken.
The police investigation and labour inspection remain ongoing.
