Ministry of Justice Holds the 32nd Council for the Protection and…

At a meeting held on Friday, April 10, the Ministry of Justice discussed measures to support affected foreign workers and protect their human rights with relevant government agencies, academic experts, and lawyers regarding a recent case reported in the media involving a foreign worker who suffered long-term injuries from an employer’s use of a high-pressure air gun. The meeting addressed both support measures for foreign workers affected by the air gun human rights violation incident and support measures for a Sri Lankan national who rescued a pilot during the 2022 Air Force fighter jet crash in the West Sea.

Based on these discussions, the Ministry of Justice decided to grant a change of residence status (G-1) to the foreign worker injured by the air gun blast and, if the individual wishes, allow them to work in Korea through a “Permit for Activities Outside the Scope of Residence Status.” The Suwon Smile Center plans to provide psychological counseling to the affected foreign nationals. Subsequently, the One-Stop Solution Center will maintain contact with the victims to identify and provide necessary support, including legal assistance from the Korea Legal Aid Corporation and Legal Home Doctor, crime victim compensation for serious injuries, and interpretation and translation services.

Additionally, the Ministry of Justice has decided to exempt a Sri Lankan migrant worker from administrative fines and grant him a change of residence status (G-1) to allow for legal residency. This decision recognizes his contribution in rescuing a pilot who suffered arm and leg injuries and had his parachute lines tangled due to the aftermath of an emergency ejection at the site of an Air Force fighter jet crash in the West Sea in August 2022.

Through the “Immigrant Rights Protection Task Force,” newly established on March 9 under the Immigration and Foreigners Policy Headquarters, the Ministry of Justice plans to conduct on-site investigations when human rights violations occur, such as wage exploitation or workplace harassment. Additionally, the Ministry plans to promote policies for the protection of foreign nationals’ human rights by linking the “1345 Foreigner Comprehensive Information Center”—which accepts reports of human rights violations in 20 languages—to a one-stop solution center and a hotline that provide integrated support for crime victims.

Source: Policy Briefing (korea.kr), Ministry of Justice, [https://www.korea.kr/briefing/pressReleaseView.do?newsId=156754119&call_from=rsslink](https://www.korea.kr/briefing/pressReleaseView.do?newsId=156754119&call_from=rsslink)