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Video Description

Type: KIHASA Policy Featurette

Topic: Are Industrial Accident Fatalities Rising Only for Migrant Workers?

Speaker: Jung Youn, Research Fellow, , Department of Universal Health Coverage Policy Research, KIHASA

Transcript

Voiceover:

The fatality rate from industrial accidents among migrant workers has increased every year.

Jung:

The overall fatality rate from industrial accidents in Korea has been steadily decreasing. In contrast, the fatality rate from industrial accidents for migrant workers has been rising. In fact, the industrial accident fatality rate for migrant workers has for some time been more than double that of all employed workers in Korea. According to the Statistics Korea survey (2023), about 70% of migrant workers in Korea are employed at workplaces with fewer than 30 employees, and 21% work at businesses with fewer than five employees. Small businesses are often exempt from industrial safety and health regulations. For example, workplaces with fewer than 50 regular employees are exempt from the legal obligation to appoint safety and health managers, safety managers or health managers.

Voiceover:

Many migrant workers are unable to access workers’ compensation benefits because of employer evasion, cover-ups, or difficulties in proving accidents at work.