The number of foreign workers residing in Korea has surpassed 1.5 million, but it has been revealed that a significant portion of them are still experiencing discrimination and human rights violations.

According to data recently released by Statistics Korea, 17.4% of foreigners residing in the country experienced discrimination in the past year. The main reasons cited for discrimination were country of origin (54.5%), lack of Korean language proficiency (31.2%), and appearance (9.1%).

Experts emphasize that these figures hold meaning beyond mere statistics. In particular, foreign workers are concentrated in "3D" jobs (dirty, dangerous, and difficult) such as manufacturing, agriculture, and construction, placing them in a more vulnerable position due to poor working conditions and language and cultural barriers.

In fact, it was recently revealed that foreign workers at a farm in Yeongam, Jeollanam-do, suffered long-term assault and wage arrears, leading to the arrest of the employer. Such incidents are being viewed not just as individual misconduct but as symbolic cases revealing the absence of institutional protection.

A representative from a foreign human rights organization stated, "It has been a long time since Korean society entered a multicultural era, but the perception of foreigners is still exclusionary," adding, "To reduce discrimination, strong legal protection must be accompanied by an improvement in public perception."

The government has announced plans for legislative revisions and strengthened management and supervision to protect foreign workers, but there are strong voices calling for urgent and effective changes that can be felt in the field.

"Korean industry cannot run without foreign workers. However, if they are not respected, the dignity of society as a whole will inevitably fall."
– From a statement by the Migrant Labor Human Rights Network