[Unofficial translation provided by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

"37% of victims of major industrial accidents are migrant workers… urgent measures needed," 27 August 2024

With the number of migrant workers in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province reaching 20,000… a recent analysis by the Daegu Western District Labour Office on the status of major industrial accidents in areas such as Seogu and Dalseogu in Daegu, as well as Seongju, Goryeong, and Chilgok, has shown a dramatic increase in the proportion of foreign workers among the victims. The rate rose from 4.5% in 2022 to 18.7% last year, and it has surged to 37.5% up to July this year.

This means that this year alone, about 4 out of every 10 victims of major industrial accidents have been migrant workers.

… Many workers are being deployed on-site without proper safety training, and in many cases, even when training is provided, it is conducted without interpreters.