Migrant worker in South Korea tied to forklift for ‘giggling', suspect says
The Sri Lankan migrant worker initially hesitated to report the abuse out of fear he wouldn't be able to find another job.
SEOUL - A Korean man who tied a Sri Lankan migrant worker to a forklift at a brick factory in Naju, South Jeolla Province, told police he did so because the worker 'let out a giggle', according to a human rights group on July 28.
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 Governor Kim Yung-rok said July 26 that a company with a good working environment has expressed interest in hiring the man. 'We will visit the company on Monday to finalise the recruitment,' Mr Kim said.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after LTA tests
Singapore MRT platform screen doors at 15 underground stations to undergo renewal
Singapore 'Medium risk' of severe haze as higher agricultural prices drive deforestation: S'pore researchers
Singapore Jail for former pre-school teacher who tripped toddler repeatedly, causing child to bleed from nose
Singapore Police statements by doctor in fake vaccine case involving Iris Koh allowed in court: Judge
Singapore Authorities say access to Changi intertidal areas unaffected by reclamation, in response to petition
Singapore No change to SIA flights between S'pore and Cambodia, S'pore and Thailand, amid border dispute
Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng
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. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Trump revokes security clearance of 37 former and current officials
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Among those whose security clearance has been stripped is a senior Central Intelligence Agency analyst currently serving undercover. WASHINGTON – American President Donald Trump revoked the security clearance of 37 current and former national security officials, many of whom worked on Russia analysis or foreign threats to US elections, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Mr Trump has stripped security clearances throughout his administration, including from his best-known rivals like former president Joe Biden. But the actions announced on Aug 19 were a deeper cut, pushing far into the national security establishment. At least three current senior officials at various intelligence agencies, all with reputations for non-partisan work, are among those who lost their clearance and their jobs. They included Ms Shelby Pierson, a senior intelligence official who warned Congress about Russian meddling in the 2020 election; a senior Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst currently serving undercover; and Mr Vinh X. Nguyen, a senior National Security Agency (NSA) data scientist. Rescinding security clearance appears to be part of a campaign by Ms Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, to reveal what she sees as flaws in intelligence assessments about Russian malign influence operations during the 2016 election. Ms Gabbard's attention to that issue has won praise from Mr Trump, who has long claimed without evidence that the Obama administration tried to undermine him in that vote. Critics also say that Mr Trump has turned the focus onto the 2016 election to distract from questions about disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. 'Gabbard's move to yank clearances from a seemingly random list of national security officials is a reckless abuse of the security clearance process and nothing more than another sad attempt to distract from the administration's failure to release the Epstein files,' said Democratic Senator Mark Warner, who is vice-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Mr Warner said he had introduced legislation to create standards for security clearances and prevent political abuse of the system. Current and former officials said they were particularly distraught by the removal of Mr Nguyen, a gifted mathematician, from the NSA. Mr Nguyen was mentioned in an article in Real Clear Investigations that noted his work for the director of national intelligence at the time of the 2016 election assessments. The article was highlighted on social media by Mr Sebastian Gorka, a Trump administration national security official. Mr Nguyen is an expert on quantum computing, data science and cyber issues. He has been working on artificial intelligence projects for the agency. Former officials said the loss of his expertise could set back the US government's development of key technologies. Ms Gabbard is not the only administration official releasing documents or investigating the 2016 intelligence assessments. After she released a report and accused the Obama administration of a 'treasonous conspiracy', Attorney-General Pam Bondi announced a task force to look into potential wrongdoing. Mr John Ratcliffe, the CIA director, declassified a tradecraft review related to the 2016 inquiries and made a referral to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seeking an investigation of Mr John Brennan, the former CIA head. On Aug 19 , Ms Gabbard released a memo on social media about her actions, which she said were taken at the direction of Mr Trump. 'Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right,' Ms Gabbard wrote. 'Those in the intelligence community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold.' Ms Gabbard's office claimed that the people who would lose their security clearances were involved in the 'politicisation or weaponisation of intelligence' to advance partisan agendas, or had failed to adhere to tradecraft practices or to safeguard classified information. The memo provided no evidence that the individuals had mishandled material or used it for partisan purposes. While stripping the security clearances of current officials effectively removes them from their jobs, it is not clear how many of the 37 individuals were currently employed by intelligence agencies or held government contracts. It is also not clear how many of the former officials maintained a current clearance. Most former officials who are not working for government contractors do not need clearances, though some do informal or formal consulting for intelligence officials. Holding a clearance makes such advising easier. Many of the officials have only tangential ties or no ties to the original analysis of Russian malign influence operations. Some have been mentioned in reporting about the 2016 election assessments or have commented on the intelligence work publicly. Mr Edward Gistaro and Ms Beth Sanner, both of whom briefed Mr Trump during his first term, were also on the list. Both were mentioned in a recent book on the CIA written by Mr Tim Weiner. Many of the individuals have commented publicly on national security matters. Some, though not all, had been critical of the Trump administration. After serving as an election threat official, Ms Pierson returned to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to take a senior position. She has been leading the agency's analysis team, according to former officials. During the first Trump administration, Mr Richard Grenell, who was the acting director of national intelligence agency, opted to keep Ms Pierson in her post. Members of the Biden administration's national security staff will also lose their clearance, including Mr Maher Bitar, who was a senior director for intelligence, and Ms Emily Horne, a former spokesperson. The order stripping Mr Bitar of his clearance presents a potential separation-of-powers issue. He is now a senior national security aide to Democratic Senator Adam Schiff. Mr Mark Zaid, a lawyer who frequently represents intelligence officials and whose own security clearance was stripped by the Trump administration, said that stripping security clearances in the name of ending politicisation was hypocritical. 'These are unlawful and unconstitutional decisions that deviate from well-settled, decades-old laws and policies that sought to protect against just this type of action,' Mr Zaid said. Referring to the intelligence community, he continued: 'It has become clear that the current IC leadership itself constitutes a grave danger to national security.' Ms Gabbard has been removing security clearances of former officials in keeping with an executive order from Mr Trump and as part of her efforts to counter the 'politicisation or weaponisation of intelligence'. CIA and NSA officials declined to comment, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency did not return a request for comment. NYTIMES
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Malaysia weighs anti-bullying law after outcry over Sabah teen's death
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Zara Qairina Mahathir's death almost a month ago has rocked the South-east Asian nation and prompted thousands to take to the streets. KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is considering the need for laws to address bullying after public outcry over the unsolved death of a 13-year-old schoolgirl in Sabah sparked demands for justice, ahead of an election in the Borneo state. Zara Qairina Mahathir's death almost a month ago has rocked the South-east Asian nation and prompted thousands to take to the streets. She was found unconscious in a drain by her school dormitory in Sabah, which is expected to hold a state election in 2025. The government will review the need for an Anti-Bullying Act that includes setting up a tribunal to hear cases involving students and children, national news agency Bernama reported, citing Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said. She said there was currently no specific definition or clear punishment for bullying in Malaysia's laws. Zara's mother lodged a police report after she found bruises on the teenager's body, and requested that police exhume her remains for a post-mortem. Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told Parliament on Aug 18 that police investigated elements of bullying, sexual harassment and neglect, as Zara had already filed complaints to her school. There has been no attempt to cover up the case and police had recorded statements from 195 witnesses, he added.
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Forum: Accept diversity of perspectives to realise ‘we first' Singapore
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox In his National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong called on Singaporeans to build a 'we first' society, one where 'we' must precede 'me'. It is a vision worth embracing. At its heart, 'we first' recognises that government alone cannot create a caring society. Change spreads through countless small acts, through communities and institutions, and through people who look out for one another. Civil society groups are part of this ecosystem by providing help on the ground, gathering lived experiences, and shaping policies so they better reflect the realities of Singaporeans. We see every day how care and courage can transform lives: survivors of sexual violence who choose to make a police report, not only for themselves, but also so the next woman may be spared. We see it in volunteer helpliners who give their time to listen with patience and compassion, guiding callers through difficult options, and in advocates who push for reforms so that laws protect families from harm. These are the voices of 'we first' – people who know the well-being of others is their concern too. But solidarity requires more than neighbourly goodwill. It also needs systems that guard against inequality and abuse. Survivors of sexual violence need not only support services, but also police officers trained to respond sensitively, and laws that recognise emotional and physical abuse. These are not 'me' issues; they are 'we' issues because when women are safe, families and communities are stronger. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP 2026 to be held at National Stadium to accommodate more Singaporeans Singapore Girl, 14, among 3 injured after minibus falls into Bukit Panjang canal Singapore Man to be charged after allegedly slashing another man with Swiss knife at City Plaza Singapore Hyflux founder Olivia Lum and ex-CFO gave input to 'play down' energy component of Tuaspring project Singapore FairPrice apologises after worm found in salmon bought from Bedok North outlet Singapore What led to Changi Airport runway incident involving 2 China Eastern Airlines planes in Aug 2024 Singapore Married man who offered cash to 12-year-old girl for sexual acts gets 19 months' jail At Aware, we try to make the 'we first' spirit practical. Through our bystander training, people learn how to step in safely when they witness harassment or abuse. When multiplied across society, such skills help create a culture where everyone knows they have a role in preventing harm. Crucially, 'we first' should never mean only one view. Respectful critique and alternative perspectives are part of caring for society. Different voices are not a threat; they are an expression of collective responsibility. If we engage in good faith and listen across divides, policies will be stronger and trust deeper. A 'we first' Singapore is an important aspiration. To realise it, we must embrace not only small acts of kindness, but also the diversity of perspectives that move us closer to justice. Corinna Lim Executive director Aware
