South Korea

Sri Lanka: Saudi Death Sentence for Maid Shakes Govt

Date: 15/07/2011 - 07:19

Sri Lankan authorities have been grappling with ways of restricting the flow of migrant women abroad due to complaints of non-payment or delayed wages, sexual abuse, and long working hours – issues faced by most domestic workers abroad. Often these issues remain unresolved.

But the latest case to stir Sri Lankans’ conscience is that of Rizana Nafeek, who is awaiting execution in Saudi Arabia. Nafeek was found guilty of killing a baby who had choked to death while in her care. She was sentenced in 2007.

South Korea: Disabled migrant workers unprotected

Date: 21/04/2011 - 08:22

A 34-year-old man from Sri Lanka had his right leg amputated in an accident while working at a waste-disposal company in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, in December 2009.

He found the situation unbearable, but decided to remain here because he had to earn money to support his family in his country. He thought it would be easier to get a job here than back in his country with the disability.

Protecting migrant workers' rights

Date: 12/04/2011 - 08:24

Labor exploitation and human trafficking link the worlds of human rights and commerce. The abuse and manipulation of migrant workers around the world has been clearly documented.

South Korea: Migrant workers call for fairer treatment

Date: 21/03/2011 - 14:21

Migrant workers and organizations demanded the government and the Korean people change policies and perceptions discriminative against foreigners.

Dozens of migrant workers and civic group members made the demand at a press conference at the National Human Rights Commission of Korea on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Monday.

G20: A Threat to Peoples´ Economic and Political Rights!

Date: 12/11/2010 - 11:31

The G20 and its global economic agenda are an affront and a threat to people´s rights and welfare. The detention and deportation of Filipino activists from Seoul and the harassment and intimidation of a number of other activists at the hands of Korean immigration authorities are manifestations of the undemocratic and anti-people nature of the G20 and further exposed the illegitimacy of this group of self-proclaimed caretakers of the global economy.

South Korea: Watchdog monitors anti-migrant Web posts

Date: 02/10/2010 - 08:38

Soe Moe Thu, a 35-year-old Myanmarese living in Seoul, feels hopeless whenever he finds an Internet cafe replete with messages scorning migrant workers based on their different skin colors, religions and cultures.

Such messages are quite common, making him wonder whether Koreans are prepared to deal with the increasing cultural diversity in its society.

South Korea: Call for redefinition of diversity in migrant policies

Date: 06/01/2010 - 09:27

A parliamentary think tank called on policymakers Monday to revisit the concept of diversity for effective policy measures, saying the term is so narrowly defined in the current law that it mainly refers to migrant workers or spouses.

To better cope with a more diverse forthcoming society, the National Assembly Research Service (NARS) stated that most policymakers have a bird's-eye view of the issue, arguing that a lack of a comprehensive framework is responsible for overlapping measures and budget squandering.

Migrants tell of exploitation and detention

Date: 18/12/2009 - 08:09

People across the world leave their homes, families and countries in search of work and education, and to escape poverty, discrimination and conflict. Many risk everything, even their lives, for security and a chance to earn a living. At every step, they are vulnerable to exploitation, fraud and human rights abuses.

To mark International Migrants Day, migrants from around the globe have told Amnesty International how they have been exploited, detained and attacked on their search for a better life.

ILO and UN CESCR call for the Prompt Registration of the Migrants Trade Union and Greater Protection of Migrants’ Rights in South Korea

Date: 04/12/2009 - 17:11

In the past week both the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association (CFA) and the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) released important recommendations regarding the situation of migrant workers in South Korea.

Saudi Arabia: Migrant workers bought and sold for a song

Date: 22/11/2009 - 14:05

Thousands of Sri Lankans are trapped in a modern day ‘slave trading post’ in the Saudi city of Jeddah, with no way of returning home for lack of proper travel or work documents and finances, prompting the authorities to rush a senior delegation to assess the ground situation in this regard.