Migrant worker tied to forklift for ‘giggling,' suspect says
A migrant worker's human rights network based in South Jeolla Province said the Korean suspect told investigators, 'I told him to teach his colleague well, but he let out a giggle, so I did that.'
The victim, however, said he neither laughed nor understood what the supervisor was saying at the time. 'I didn't know what I did wrong. I was very scared (when I was tied to the forklift),' he was quoted as saying by the group.
The migrant worker, who has been employed at the factory since arriving in Korea under the work permit system last December, initially hesitated to report the abuse out of fear he wouldn't be able to find another job. He is currently staying at a religious facility with support from civic groups.
South Jeolla Province Gov. Kim Yung-rok said Saturday that a company with a good working environment has expressed interest in hiring the man. 'We will visit the company on Monday to finalize the recruitment,' Kim said.
Following the incident, which sparked national outrage, President Lee Jae Myung condemned the perpetrators and called for a thorough investigation.
Local police have booked the Korean suspect without detention on potential charges, including special confinement and special assault.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
![[Kim Seong-kon] Without care, we too, can become abusers](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F08%2F05%2Fnews-p.v1.20250805.ff3930a91f0a481b9e5d7c4089e58346_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Kim Seong-kon] Without care, we too, can become abusers](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
[Kim Seong-kon] Without care, we too, can become abusers
We tend to think there is a crystal-clear distinction between opposite things. However, it's rarely so simple. Oftentimes, things that at first glance appear contrary instead end up looking surprisingly alike or blend into one another, especially when they are pushed to the extreme. For example, the far left and far right, though technically opposites, bear an astonishing resemblance, as we see when we compare Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Similarly, we think that there is a radical difference between terrorists and ordinary people. Therefore, we naturally believe that we are far removed from terrorists and have nothing to do with violent extremism. We assume there is a particular group of people who can be labeled 'terrorists.' In reality, however, even those of us who think we are the most ordinary of people can become terrorists if we are not careful. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a terrorist as 'someone who uses violence and intimidation to achieve a political and ideological aim.' According to this definition, anyone can fall into the category of a terrorist if they try to impose their political beliefs on others using force. If so, we can find quite a few terroristic people in our society who do not hesitate to use violence for ideological causes. The same goes for 'abusers.' In the Oxford English Dictionary, an abuser is 'someone who treats another person in a cruel, violent or unfair way.' Given the parameters of that definition, anyone can stumble into the category of an abuser if they treat others in an unfair or manipulative way. Although we might firmly believe that we are not doing so, we could be perpetrating abuse without realizing it. We can become abusers if we treat others in a rude, inhumane or manipulative way. It can happen between a father and a child, or between a husband and a wife. It can also happen between a teacher and a student, or between an employer and an employee. What Koreans call 'gapjil' is an example of abuse between people with power and those they have power over. Recently, I saw a poster that said: 'Does someone degrade you in public or private? Does he get angry if you are not submissive? Does he insist you are wrong? Does he blame you for everything? Does he pressure you to do things that make you uncomfortable? Does he force you to drink, or do things that you do not want to do? Does he expose you to danger because of your identity? Then, this is abuse.' If the above things belong to the category of 'abuse,' no one is completely free from the accusation of being an abuser. For example, if we pressure someone to drink against their will in a bar, which is quite common in Korean society, we might be abusing the person. If we ignore or degrade the opinions of our children or students simply because they are young, we might be abusers there, as well. If we provoke, blame or threaten family members, we are abusing them. If we have power, we can easily become abusers. If we do not have power, we may unwittingly turn into a terrorist. Sometimes, a powerful man can become both an abuser and a terrorist. If a political leader tries to impose his ideological beliefs on his people by force, he becomes an abuser and a terrorist. He may think he is doing the right thing, but he is not, because there is only a thin line between right and wrong, and good and evil. In order not to become abusers or terrorists, we should respect different voices, opinions and perspectives. We also should respect and embrace others who are different from us or weaker than us. If we force others to join us or be like us in the name of unity, we are likely to end up becoming terrorists or abusers. Nobody wants to be a terrorist or an abuser. Yet, we can easily become one unless we are extra careful and supercautious. We should know that there is only a thin wall between terrorists and abusers and us.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
JMS files injunction to block Netflix docuseries exposing misconduct
Hearing on injunction against release of 'The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies' scheduled for Aug. 12 Jesus Morning Star, a controversial Korean cult group, has filed an injunction to block the release of "The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies," an upcoming Netflix documentary series that spotlights accounts of sexual abuse victims within the organization. On July 29, JMS submitted a request for a broadcast injunction against both MBC and Netflix to the Seoul Western District Court. A hearing on the injunction is scheduled for Aug. 12. Produced by Korean broadcaster MBC and set to premiere globally on Netflix on Aug. 15, "The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies" is an eight-part series chronicling the lived experiences of survivors from four harrowing chapters in South Korea's modern history. These include exposing misconduct related to the cult organization JMS, Busan Brothers' Home, which has often been referred to as a Korean concentration camp, the Jijonpa serial murder case and the Sampoong Department Store collapse. The series serves as a sequel to "In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal," a 2023 breakout Netflix Korea docuseries that exposed alleged abuses by religious cults in the country, including claims of brainwashing and sexual misconduct by JMS and its leader, Jeong Myeong-seok. Jeong was sentenced in April to 17 years in prison for the sexual assault of female followers. In February 2023, JMS also sought to prevent the airing of "In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal" by filing for an injunction with the same court, which ultimately rejected the request. At the time, the court stated: 'While JMS claims that the program's content is entirely false, it appears that MBC and Netflix structured the program based on a substantial amount of both objective and subjective material they gathered. Based on the evidence submitted by JMS alone, it is difficult to conclude that the key content is untrue.'
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
Daughter of Korean priest detained by ICE after visa hearing
A 20-year-old South Korean student at Purdue University and daughter of an Episcopal priest has been detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after attending a routine court hearing over her visa status, according to news reports Sunday. The Episcopal Diocese of New York and immigrant advocacy groups are calling for the immediate release of Go Yeon-soo, saying she was unfairly detained despite having legal status, and that immigration authorities bypassed proper legal procedures. Go, a graduate of Scarsdale High School in Westchester County, is the daughter of the Rev. Kim Ky-rie, the first woman ordained in the Seoul Diocese of the Anglican Church of Korea. According to the family, Go entered the United States in March 2021 on an R-2 visa, a dependent visa for family members of R-1 religious visa holders, following her mother's relocation. The family said her stay was legally extended in 2023 and that her status remains valid through the end of 2025. However, immigration authorities reportedly interpreted her status differently and deemed her stay unlawful. On July 31, Go appeared before the New York Immigration Court and was given a continuance for her hearing, which was rescheduled for October. But shortly after exiting the courthouse, she was detained by ICE agents. She is currently being held at the ICE office in Manhattan and is expected to be transferred to a detention facility for immigrants. 'Her mother receives regular calls from Yeon-soo, and she's being held at 26 Federal Plaza, which, as we know, is not a facility with showers, beds or hot meals,' said the Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd, bishop coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, during a press conference Saturday. 'These detentions are not only illegal — they're immoral.' The press conference was held outside the ICE office in Manhattan by the diocese and a coalition of immigrant advocacy organizations. The case comes amid growing concerns over the treatment of immigrants, particularly among the Korean community. Last month, Tae-heung Kim, a 40-year-old Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University, was detained by federal agents at San Francisco International Airport and remains in custody.
