A Lao seasonal worker died in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, just three days after arriving in Korea, exposing gaps in local oversight of foreign farm workers. She went missing on Aug. 7 after complaining of heat-related discomfort while working in a pumpkin field under a heat wave warning and was found dead the next day. Labor groups said seasonal workers are often sent to farms without enough safety training or adjustment time. Officials and experts said the case points to broader weaknesses in worker protection and supervision.
Seasonal workers harvest sesame in sweltering heat in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, as heat wave advisories remain in effect for two consecutive weeks, Aug. 4. Yonhap
The death of a seasonal worker from Laos just three days after arriving in Korea has exposed shortcomings in local governments' oversight of foreign workers on farms, with the case highlighting a recurring practice of sending workers into the field with little time to adjust or receive adequate safety training.
The worker, a Lao national in her 30s, went missing on Aug. 7 after complaining of heat-related discomfort while working in a pumpkin field in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, under a severe heat wave warning. She was found dead in nearby bushes the following day.
