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Asahi Shimbun
6 days ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Video showing migrant worker moved by forklift prompts action from South Korea's president
SEOUL--South Korea's president ordered officials to find ways to prevent the mistreatment of migrant workers after a video showing a Sri Lankan worker being moved by a forklift while tied up at a South Korean factory sparked public outrage. 'After watching the video, I couldn't believe my eyes,' President Lee Jae Myung wrote Thursday in a Facebook post. 'That was an intolerable violation and clear human rights infringement of a minority person.' Lee also condemned the treatment of the worker during a Cabinet Council meeting and expressed concerns about South Korea's international image. He ordered government ministries to investigate the working conditions of migrant workers and other minorities in South Korea and find realistic steps to end any abuse. Lee and other officials didn't say the Sri Lankan worker was treated that way because he is a migrant worker. But the Labor Ministry said it views the incident as evidence that migrant workers in South Korea suffer poor treatment at some worksites, a view held by experts and activists. South Korean human rights activists on Wednesday released the video filmed at a brick factory in the southwestern city of Naju in late February. They said it was filmed and provided by a fellow Sri Lankan worker. The video was being shared among rights groups before being made public. The video shows a forklift driver, who has been identified as South Korean, lifting another worker who is bound with plastic wrap and tied to bricks. The driver moves him around the factory yard in the vehicle while the sound of laughter from another person can be heard. The 31-year-old worker suffered the mistreatment for about five minutes as a punishment imposed by the South Korean forklift driver, who wasn't happy with his brick wrapping skills, according to Mun Gil Ju, one of the local activists involved in the video's release. The worker told reporters in a televised interview broadcast Thursday that he suffered stress and mental anguish as a result of the incident. The YTN television network, which broadcast the interview, blurred his face and didn't provide his name. YTN also showed the unidentified head of the factory saying 'we absolutely feel sorry for' the incident. Naju city officials said the factory manager told them he had been informed the event was organized as a prank. But Mun said 'binding a person with plastic wrap' cannot be downplayed as a prank. About 20 activists rallied in front of Naju's city hall on Thursday, demanding that authorities punish those responsible. In an editorial Friday, the local Kukmin Ilbo newspaper called the treatment of the man 'a shameful' incident indicative of how migrant workers are treated in South Korea. The factory has about 24 workers, including seven from East Timor and Sri Lanka along with South Koreans. The Sri Lankan man still works for the factory, according to Naju officials. The Labor Ministry said in a statement Thursday that it will launch an investigation into the factory and its treatment of foreign workers. Hundreds of thousands of migrants, mostly from Southeast Asia and China, take low-paying or dangerous work at factories, farms, construction sites and other places in South Korea. In 2024, South Korea's National Human Rights Commission said that deaths from workplace accidents among migrant workers jumped from 7% to 12.2% from 2010 to 2019, calling it 'a disturbing upward trend.' A 2024 research report commissioned by the agency also said that migrant workers were more than three times likely to die in industrial accidents than their South Korean counterparts.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Video showing migrant worker moved by forklift prompts action from South Korea's president
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's president ordered officials to find ways to prevent the mistreatment of migrant workers after a video showing a Sri Lankan worker being moved by a forklift while tied up at a South Korean factory sparked public outrage. 'After watching the video, I couldn't believe my eyes,' President Lee Jae Myung wrote Thursday in a Facebook post. 'That was an intolerable violation and clear human rights infringement of a minority person.' Lee also condemned the treatment of the worker during a Cabinet Council meeting and expressed concerns about South Korea's international image. He ordered government ministries to investigate the working conditions of migrant workers and other minorities in South Korea and find realistic steps to end any abuse. Lee and other officials didn't say the Sri Lankan worker was treated that way because he is a migrant worker. But the Labor Ministry said it views the incident as evidence that migrant workers in South Korea suffer poor treatment at some worksites, a view held by experts and activists. South Korean human rights activists on Wednesday released the video filmed at a brick factory in the southwestern city of Naju in late February. They said it was filmed and provided by a fellow Sri Lankan worker. The video was being shared among rights groups before being made public. The video shows a forklift driver, who has been identified as South Korean, lifting another worker who is bound with plastic wrap and tied to bricks. The driver moves him around the factory yard in the vehicle while the sound of laughter from another person can be heard. The 31-year-old worker suffered the mistreatment for about five minutes as a punishment imposed by the South Korean forklift driver, who wasn't happy with his brick wrapping skills, according to Mun Gil Ju, one of the local activists involved in the video's release. The worker told reporters in a televised interview broadcast Thursday that he suffered stress and mental anguish as a result of the incident. The YTN television network, which broadcast the interview, blurred his face and didn't provide his name. YTN also showed the unidentified head of the factory saying 'we absolutely feel sorry for' the incident. Naju city officials said the factory manager told them he had been informed the event was organized as a prank. But Mun said 'binding a person with plastic wrap" cannot be downplayed as a prank. About 20 activists rallied in front of Naju's city hall on Thursday, demanding that authorities punish those responsible. In an editorial Friday, the local Kukmin Ilbo newspaper called the treatment of the man 'a shameful" incident indicative of how migrant workers are treated in South Korea. The factory has about 24 workers, including seven from East Timor and Sri Lanka along with South Koreans. The Sri Lankan man still works for the factory, according to Naju officials. The Labor Ministry said in a statement Thursday that it will launch an investigation into the factory and its treatment of foreign workers. Hundreds of thousands of migrants, mostly from Southeast Asia and China, take low-paying or dangerous work at factories, farms, construction sites and other places in South Korea. In 2024, South Korea's National Human Rights Commission said that deaths from workplace accidents among migrant workers jumped from 7% to 12.2% from 2010 to 2019, calling it 'a disturbing upward trend.' A 2024 research report commissioned by the agency also said that migrant workers were more than three times likely to die in industrial accidents than their South Korean counterparts. Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated Press Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
TWICE Jeongyeon to make her acting debut! Idol to star in police drama - second member to enter the world of acting
Jeongyeon from TWICE is all set and ready to make her official acting debut! The idol will feature in a supporting role in an upcoming thriller film 'New Recruit: The Movie'. This will be the first time that she graces the big screen for an acting gig. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Jeongyeon confirmed to make her film debut According to reports from YTN, the idol-turned-actress has been offered the role of a nursing officer in the Korean drama. This film is a spin-off project of the beloved 2022 Korean drama, 'New Recruits', which managed to garner a lot of popularity at the time. While the drama explores the lives of such officers in the setting of a military unit, this spinoff film will feature characters in the backdrop of a military hospital. The script of the film is still being finalised, however, the filming and official production will late this year. Not much else has been revealed about the upcoming film, however it has already managed to create a lot of buzz online. Not the only TWICE member to make her acting debut Jeongyeon will be the second member of the girl group TWICE to break into the world of acting. Previously, the youngest member of the group, Dahyun, entered the acting industry with the project 'You Are the Apple of My Eye'. Fans react As soon as news of Jeongyeon making her acting debut was shared online, fans of the idol started sharing their excitement. One fan commented, 'They're finally giving her opportunities outside twice in the big 2025? omg let's f****** go', while another shared 'im just gonna rt all the tweets about jeongyeon acting debut idgaf if her role is small in the film im so happy for her!!'.
AFP
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- AFP
Posts target former South Korean first lady with misleadingly blurred image
The altered image was featured as the thumbnail of a shared on June 23, 2025. The clip shows Kim holding a blurred object to her mouth, with superimposed text that reads: "Kim Keon Hee chain-smoking in a hospital room" and "[She] continues to chain-smoke." The 25-second video does not contain any footage of Kim smoking. Instead, it features individuals repeating unverified claims that a hospital employee saw Kim smoking after she was admitted to the Asan Medical Center in Seoul on June 16 for what local media described as "severe depression" (archived here and here). Kim is currently under investigation for multiple alleged crimes, including a suspected stock-rigging scheme tied to Deutsch Motors, the receipt of a luxury Dior handbag, interference in candidate nominations ahead of the 2022 parliamentary by-elections, and influence-peddling in a major highway rerouting project (archived here and here). Image Screenshot of the misleading video thumbnail shared on YouTube, with an orange X added by AFP The same video was widely shared by multiple Facebook users critical of Kim. Comments left in the misleading posts indicated several users believed the image genuinely showed Kim lighting a cigarette. "Wonder who captured this video, they must have risked their life," one user wrote. Another said: "Caught red-handed, the hospital should kick her out." The image, however, is not from a hospital room -- nor does it show Kim smoking. A reverse image search on Google found the photo is a manipulated still from news footage published on YouTube on January 11, 2023 by the South Korean broadcaster YTN. In the original footage — timestamped at 1:10:57 — Kim is seen using chopsticks to eat "tteok", Korean rice cake, during a visit to a traditional market in Daegu (archived link). In the doctored version, the rice cake and chopsticks have been obscured and blurred to create the appearance of Kim holding a cigarette. Image Screenshot comparison between the doctored image shared on YouTube with an orange X added by AFP (left) and a corresponding still from the original YTN news footage of Kim's visit to a market in 2023 Kim's visit to the market in Daegu at the time was widely reported by local news outlets, many of which carried similar footage of her eating rice cakes (archived here and here). Newsis, a Korean news agency, also captured a photo of Kim eating a rice cake from a similar angle as the YTN footage (archived link). AFP was unable to independently verify the claim that Kim was seen smoking inside the hospital. No images or video footage have emerged to support the allegation. Kim has frequently been the subject of misinformation online, which AFP has previously debunked. Reality TV show Days after an altered image of Kim Keon Hee circulated, supporters of the rival camp shared a doctored image of First Lady Kim Hea-kyung, falsely claiming it also showed her smoking (archived link). But a reverse image search on Google led to a YouTube video posted by South Korean broadcaster SBS on July 18, 2017 (archived link). The clip is from a 2017 reality TV show that featured the first couple when President Lee Jae-myung was still mayor of the northwestern city of Seongnam. Image Screenshot comparison of misleading post (left) with orange X added by AFP and YouTube video from SBS In the original video, Kim Hea-kyung is holding chopsticks, with the tips lightly touching her mouth. But in the doctored image, her hand and the chopsticks were blurred. Her husband has been a frequent target of misinformation, which AFP has previously debunked here.
Pink Villa
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
SUGA's DUI scandal aftermath: Petition filed to block BTS member from TV appearance, citing influence on youngsters
BTS member SUGA's DUI incident has sparked renewed discussion. Despite paying a heavy fine and apologizing multiple times, netizens don't appear ready to move on from the issue. On June 23, a petition was filed on KBS's bulletin board regarding the drunk driving case, as reported by K-media outlet YTN. The petition advocated for restricting SUGA's appearances on the network, amid ongoing discussions regarding BTS' full-group performances. Why was a petition filed to restrict SUGA's broadcast appearance? The petition was Min Yoongi aka SUGA was filed to ban the BTS member from TV appearances, particularly from KBS shows. The reason for the same was public scrutiny following his 2024 DUI scandal. The petition, titled Request for sanction on restriction of appearance on KBS regarding Suga's DUI, was posted on the KBS Viewer Petition Bulletin Board on June 23. It demanded that KBS hold a broadcast appearance regulation review committee to discuss and decide on sanctions for SUGA. They cited concerns about his influence on the masses, including youngsters. According to the petitioner, taking the step was necessary to make people realise the gravity of the unlawful activity. Drunk driving might not be that big of an issue elsewhere, but in South Korea, it is seen as a grave offence. Will SUGA's DUI controversy impact BTS' full-group comeback? K-pop comebacks are usually followed by interviews and music shows appearances. KBS is one of the biggest broadcasting companies of South Korea, in whose shows artists usually promote their new music. In case SUGA gets banned from KBS shows due to the petition's passing, BTS might choose not to perform in their shows or appear as an incomplete group. Neither sounds good for both the K-pop artists and the media group. About SUGA's drunk driving controversy SUGA was involved in a DUI incident on August 6, 2024, while riding an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol. The Haegeum singer's blood alcohol level was 0.227%, significantly above the legal limit of 0.08% in South Korea. The K-pop rapper was found lying on the ground next to his e-scooter by police late at night. Following that, he was charged with DUI and faced potential penalties, including license revocation and a fine of approximately 11,000 USD. SUGA publicly apologized for his actions, stating that he would cooperate fully with the Yongsan police's investigation. The case was closed by prosecutors with a fine, and no further action was taken.
