"Invisible Death" - The Hidden Reality of Migrant Workers in Korea

"Dying as if Breathing" – The Deaths of Migrant Workers are Foretold Tragedies

Migrant workers arrive healthy, only to leave as cold corpses within months. Those who succumb to death not from illness but from overwork, not from accidents but from indifference, are victims of what can truly be called 'invisible deaths'.

In 2022, the number of migrant worker deaths reported to immigration offices reached 3,340. However, only 6.4% of these had their cause of death or personal information recorded. The remaining 93.6% were processed as blanks in administrative documents, with only their names remaining. Their deaths are not systematically recorded, and even social mourning is not permitted.

Actual Death Count is 4 Times Higher Than Industrial Accidents

From 2018 to 2022, 729 migrant workers were recognized as having died from industrial accidents. However, the number of actual reported deaths during the same period exceeded approximately 3,000 each year. This indicates that causes such as overwork, poor living conditions, and medical neglect, which are not recognized as industrial accidents, are systematically omitted.

Suicide Rate is Also Higher Than the Korean Average

In 2022, the percentage of migrant worker deaths classified as suicide was 4.1%. This figure is higher than South Korea's overall suicide rate of 3.4%. However, experts point out that since the majority of deaths are classified as of unknown cause, the actual suicide rate could be much higher.

Deaths Caused by 'Structural Violence'

The National Human Rights Commission and researchers from Seoul National University analyzed cases of migrant worker deaths and defined the risks they face leading to death not as simple accidents, but as the result of 'structural violence'.

The study identified the following 8 social risk factors:

1. Dangerous and violent work environments

2. Long working hours, night shifts, and chronic overwork

3. Low wages and wage arrears

4. Inhumane housing such as vinyl greenhouses and containers

5. Limited access to healthcare

6. Exclusion from industrial safety systems

7. Insecurity due to undocumented status

8. Administrative neglect after death

Barriers Remaining Even After Death

The process of receiving the body of a deceased migrant worker and repatriating it to their home country imposes a significant financial burden on the bereaved family. Airfare, funeral costs, and visa issuance issues hinder the family's return. In many cases, bodies are processed as unclaimed due to the lack of a systematic support system.

Government Response is Still in its Nascent Stages

Starting in 2024, the National Human Rights Commission has been conducting research to analyze the causes of migrant worker deaths and establish a support system. They are proposing policy recommendations such as securing systematic death statistics, establishing a support system for bereaved families, strengthening industrial safety, ensuring access to healthcare, and providing support for repatriation costs. However, institutionalized practices have not yet been implemented.

Experts' Warnings

"The deaths of migrant workers are not individual misfortunes.
They are the result of systemic gaps and neglect.
The more we turn a blind eye, the more these deaths will be repeated."
– Seoul National University Research Team