Video of bound migrant worker being lifted by forklift roils South Korea

A video published on July 25 showing a Sri Lankan migrant worker at a brick factory in Naju, South Korea, being bound in plastic wrap, tied to bricks and lifted by a forklift has sparked national outrage and prompted an immediate response from President Lee Jae Myung.

The 31‑year‑old worker was humiliated for several minutes in front of co‑workers who laughed in the background. The footage has drawn fierce condemnation from human rights groups and migrant advocacy organizations.

President Lee called the incident “an intolerable violation and clear human rights infringement of a minority person” during a Cabinet meeting the day after the video was posted. “After watching the video I couldn’t believe my eyes,” he said. He ordered all relevant ministries to launch an urgent investigation into the factory and to propose measures to prevent further abuse of migrant and minority workers across the country.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor confirmed it has opened an investigation into the Naju factory and plans to review workplace conditions at similar worksites. Factory officials claimed the incident was a prank but labor groups rejected the explanation, arguing that the binding of a person with plastic wrap cannot be dismissed as a joke. Protesters rallied in Naju calling for justice for the worker and demanding stronger protection for migrant laborers.

Experts say the incident underscores larger systemic issues in South Korea’s migrant labor sector where safety and rights enforcement remain uneven. A national human rights commission report released earlier this year found that migrant workers suffer fatal industrial accidents at more than three times the rate of South Korean citizens.