A Sri Lankan employee at a brick manufacturing plant in Naju, South Jeolla Province, is bound with plastic wrap to a pallet of bricks and lifted into the air by a forklift on Feb. 26, 2025. (Herald DB) The Gwangju District Court has handed a suspended prison sentence to an employer who abused a Sri Lankan worker at a brick factory in Naju, South Jeolla Province, according to legal circles Wednesday.The employer, a 54-year-old man surnamed Jeong, was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years. The court also ordered him to complete 80 hours of community service. The company that operated the brick factory was fined 5 million won ($3,300).Jeong was accused of tying the 31-year-old worker to a pallet of bricks with white plastic wrap, lifting him into the air with a forklift and carrying him about 10 meters. The abuse took place in February 2025 and sparked public outrage after a video of the incident circulated online in July.President Lee Jae Myung later called the incident “a clear case of human rights violations” and ordered authorities to ensure firm punishment.During the trial, Jeong claimed the incident “happened accidentally” and said he had settled with the victim.“Please take into account the fact that the victim does not want punishment and that he is now well settled and working at a different workplace,” Jeong told the court.Investigators found that Jeong had abused the worker over what he considered unsatisfactory work performance. In the video, Jeong is seen operating the forklift while repeatedly saying, “Did you do wrong? You must say you did wrong.”The court said the crime was dangerous and could have led to a more serious accident.“The defendant caused the victim severe humiliation and distress, and the incident could have led to an even more serious accident had the victim fallen from the forklift,” Judge Seo Ji-hye said. “As the employer, the company also had a responsibility to prevent human rights violations and ensure safety, but it took no action until the case triggered public backlash.”However, the court said it took into account that the victim did not want Jeong punished, that the company had regularly engaged in social contribution activities, and that it had conducted human rights and safety education after the incident.After the incident, the victim received help from labor groups to obtain medical care and has since found a job at another factory.